Rumour Mongering: Reds Plot Late Swoop for Kvaratskhelia

Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The veracity of said rumours may not be of the highest quality, however.

With the season having kicked off — Slot becoming the first manager to win his debut game in charge of the Reds since Gérard Houllier 26 years ago — and Liverpool’s transfer business having amounted to some solid profit on fringe players and a failed move for Martín Zubimendi, some fans are beginning to worry that the Reds could end the summer transfer window without making any additions to their squad.

Now, whether that premise is something worth worrying about is up for debate, but with just over a week to go, it appears increasingly likely it will become truth by the time September rolls around. Unless...

Liverpool work on sensational late deal for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. The Georgian sensation has been on Liverpool’s radar as early as during his Rubin Kazan days and as recently as this summer, and with noises from his camp suggesting the 23-year old would like to wrap up his stay in Naples, the notion of a transfer even at this late stage is not at all unreasonable.

Question marks will surround the fee — Napoli’s best player in consecutive seasons would likely be valued at least around the £70m mark — although the Reds have money to burn, but more pertinently, how you squeeze him into a front line that already boasts five high-level attackers, and why the club would focus on adding to what is roundly considered the strongest part of their squad rather than on its perceived weaknesses.

Perhaps the persistent rumours suggesting Luis Díaz’s future lies elsewhere has finally found some purchase, in which case the Reds would arguably be upgrading the position at a very low cost, but this is more likely a case of either an agent attempting to drum up a bit of interest for a wantaway player last minute, or a dubious outlet making up a story because why the hell not.

Regardless, the quality of the player alone makes this one worth just a little bit of attention.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com