Kvaratskhelia’s PSG move still haunts Napoli boss de Laurentiis

The Paris Saint-Germain pulled off one of the most eye-catching winter transfers in football history when they signed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli for €70 million in January 2025. The Georgian winger’s arrival reshaped the French capital club’s season, leaving Aurelio De Laurentiis and his Napoli team nursing bitter regrets.

Kvaratskhelia’s impact at PSG has been immediate and transformative. Under Luis Enrique, the club clinched last season’s Champions League title, but this campaign the Georgian has elevated his game even further, firmly establishing himself as the standout performer in Europe’s premier club competition. His meteoric rise has only deepened De Laurentiis’ frustration over the missed opportunity.

Napoli’s president vents his frustration over missed opportunity

De Laurentiis has been vocal about his dismay, questioning the management of Kvaratskhelia’s contract negotiations and the role played by the player’s representatives and family. In an outburst that underlined his emotional attachment to Napoli, he dismissed comparisons to Diego Maradona—Napoli’s legendary icon—while reflecting on the club’s loss.

«In just one year in Naples, Kvara became a star. But he failed to honor his contractual obligations—poorly handled by his agents and family. Comparing him to Maradona is laughable. Maradona was one of a kind, a treasure beyond measure. He was exceptional both as a man and as a symbol of unshakable love for Napoli and the city itself. He was a diamond worth a billion carats!»

Why Kvaratskhelia chose PSG over Napoli’s enduring charm

De Laurentiis went on to lament the emotional pull of Napoli, a city steeped in 2,500 years of history, where the name Parthenope—meaning ‘siren’ in ancient Greek—evokes myth and allure. He suggested that Kvaratskhelia, like Odysseus, plugged his ears to resist the siren’s song of Naples and turned a deaf ear to Napoli’s contract extension offers.

«I wonder whether the affection Paris offers can ever match the warmth of a city like Naples. Naples is a 2,500-year-old legend born as Parthenope—the siren. Kvara, it seems, chose to seal his ears like Odysseus, resisting the call of Naples’ enchanting melody and ignoring our pleas to stay», the Napoli president remarked.