Carlo Ancelotti praises Napoli duo Khvicha Kvaratskhelia & Victor Osimhen
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti was asked about Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen this week, both of whom are setting Serie A alight with Napoli this season and have even made the club a potential dark horse in the Champions League.
Both Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen have unsurprisingly attracted interest from wealthy giants across Europe, with Real among those watching the former’s progress this season.
Big spending Chelsea have made Osimhen their top target for the summer, as 90min revealed last month. Manchester United have also been linked with the Nigerian, while Real could also be in need of a new ‘number nine’ as there is no genuine cover for a 35-year-old Karim Benzema.
“Kvaratskhelia is a great player, he is doing well with Victor Osimhen, they are very efficient,” Ancelotti enthused, praising both without saying anything concrete.
“Italian clubs are doing well in the Champions League. There could be three clubs in the quarter-finals, which would be a strong signal to Europe,” he added, referring to Milan and Inter already making it through from the last 16 this month – Napoli hold a 2-0 lead over Eintracht Frankfurt.
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As 90min reported in December, Napoli are confident of keeping Kvaratskhelia for at least one more season beyond this one. Despite the interest from elsewhere, there is optimism that he will sign a new contract with a substantial pay rise.
Manchester City, Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in ‘Kvaradona’, but every major club in Europe is keeping tabs on his situation.
Napoli are also hopeful of keeping star centre-back Kim Min-jae with a new contract that will more than double an existing €45m. Of the club’s three biggest assets, Osimhen is the most likely to be sold ahead of next season, although president Aurelio De Laurentiis has suggested that Napoli won’t be bidding farewell to their best players any time soon.
“It won’t be difficult to keep our best players, we’re good with contracts - but never say never in case of crazy proposals. I think they will stay for long time,“ he said last month.
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