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Napoli forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has said that he idolised Cristiano Ronaldo and that Real Madrid was his favourite club growing up.
The 21-year-old Georgian attacker has become a sensation at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium since arriving from Dinamo Batumi in the summer for €10 million. He has made 17 appearances across competitions, scoring eight goals and providing ten assists.
Top European sides have taken notice of the quick development of Kvaratskhelia, with Real Madrid among those notably interested, per the Sun. Kvaratskhelia has spoken of his admiration for Los Blancos by revealing that they were the club he supported as a child.
The Georgian also said that he idolised legendary Madrid duo Guti and Cristiano Ronaldo. He told DAZN:
“When I was little, my favourite player was Guti. I loved the way he played. After Guti, my favourite became Cristiano. He is my idol. As a kid, I always used to support Real Madrid.”
Guti was a fan favourite at the Santiago Bernabeu during his 15 years at the club. He made 542 appearances, scoring 77 goals and providing 93 assists. The Spaniard sits eighth in the list of appearances made by a Real Madrid player.
He won the UEFA Champions League three times, La Liga on five occasions, and the Spanish Super Cup four times during his time with the Galacticos.
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo will go down as perhaps the greatest player in the history of Real Madrid. Signed by Los Blancos in 2009 from Manchester United for a then-world record €94 million, he hit heights never before achieved by a player in the white of Madrid.
He scored a remarkable 450 goals and contributed 131 assists in 438 appearances. The Portuguese icon won the Champions League five times, La Liga twice and finished as the league's top goalscorer on three occasions. Cristiano Ronaldo won the coveted Ballon d'Or award four times during his time with the Spanish giants.
Ex-Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello slams Cristiano Ronaldo for being presumptuous in finding new club
Cristiano Ronaldo mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Manchester United in November.
The Portuguese gave a controversial interview with broadcaster Piers Morgan, touching on several issues during his second spell at Old Trafford. The expectation was that Ronaldo would find a new suitor following his release from the Red Devils.
However, no European suitor has stepped forward, and Capello labelled the forward as being cumbersome (via Manchester Evening News):
"He (Ronaldo) asked for it. And for what he has done in his career, he doesn't do himself honour. The player is not discussed, but in the moment was presumptuous, he went around offering himself without finding anyone who believed him. He has become a bit cumbersome for a team."
The Real Madrid legend has now been linked with a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, with a medical reportedly being arranged for his arrival.
