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Former Real Madrid and England manager Fabio Capello has likened one of Serie A's newest entrants Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to a younger version of Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah.
The highly-rated winger has signed for Napoli in a deal worth €10 million from Georgian side Dinamo Batumi.
Capello revealed that the 21-year old reminds him of the Egypt international from his early days. In his interview with Corriere dello Sport, the Italian spoke about the upcoming Serie A campaign and gave his take on various top sides in the Italian division.
It was here that he talked about Napoli and compared their new recruit to the Liverpool winger.
The former Three Lions boss thinks Partenopei will definitely miss the experienced figure of Kalidou Koulibaly in their backline, having sold him to Chelsea.
Capello said (via TuttoMercatoWeb):
"Luciano Spalletti has lost Koulibaly, someone who gave a real sense of confidence to the whole squad. I am curious to see how Napoli do, especially Kvaratskhelia, who in his movements reminds me of an early Mohamed Salah.”
The Georgian winger has the ability to take on fullbacks, outpace them, and create chances as well as score from wider positions. That's why he's earned the comparison to the Liverpool winger.
Fabio Paratici, Tottenham Hotspur's director of football, has been chasing Kvaratskhelia for some time now.
Paratici wanted to sign him when he was working with Juventus and at the north London club, he again made attempts to sign him. His agent Mamuka Dzhugeli disclosed on Nobel Arustamyan’s YouTube channel (via HITC) that Kvaratskhelia could have moved to Juventus but Paratici then left the club.
Later, the winger himself snubbed the switch to Tottenham because he was being offered a loan deal. He was looking for a permanent offer to take the next step in his career.
Salah also played in Serie A at clubs like Fiorentina and AS Roma, which was perhaps crucial for him to rediscover himself and help him bring out his A-game.
It was the form and consistency he showcased in the Italian top-flight that earned him his move to Liverpool in 2017. Since then, he has never looked back. The Egyptian has scored 156 goals and provided 63 assists in his 254 appearances for the Reds and has cemented his legacy as an Anfield hero.
Italian giants make formal offer to sign experienced Liverpool striker
Italian outfit Tutto Juve have claimed that the Old Lady are interested in signing Reds forward Roberto Firmino and have also sent a formal offer. The bid is reportedly in the region of €23 million. With the Brazilian having just one year remaining on his contract, Liverpool might cash in on him.
Firmino is behind the likes of Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez in the pecking order at Anfield and could leave this summer for regular football. The report also mentions that Juventus will be willing to increase their offer by some amount to lure the club into selling him.
