Antonio Conte wants Alejandro Garnacho to replace Khvicha Kvaratskhelia at Napoli | OneFootball

Napoli manager Antonio Conte has implored his club to target Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho as a replacement for wantaway star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, according to a report from Italy.

Michele Criscitiello (Sport Italia) reveals the 20-year-old Argentinian has been identified by Conte as the “only name” he wants to replace Kvaratskhelia, who looks set to join French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the winter window.

PSG are believed to be offering the Georgian winger a wage packet worth four times his current salary in Naples and he has communicated his wish to swap Serie A for Ligue 1 to Napoli officials.

Reports had suggested United were interested in Kvaratskhelia, using Marcus Rashford as a potential makeweight in a deal with the 27-year-old forward attracting attention from Italy’s top clubs.

However, it seems Kvaratskhelia has his eyes set firmly on Paris with the Red Devils lacking the financial flexibility to rival any bid for the flying winger in January.

The FFP situation at Old Trafford is reported to be extremely tight as years of overspending finally catches up to the club. It’s even led to INEOS – who gained full control over the football operation at United last year – reportedly being open to selling the team’s academy graduates, including Kobbie Mainoo and Garnacho.

And it appears Napoli are be ready to put INEOS’ willingness to the test with Criscitiello revealing talks over a potential offer in the region of €50 million for Garnacho.

Translated Tweet: “SPORTITALIA EXCLUSIVE – Conte has decided: for the post-Kvara only one name: Antonio wants Alejandro Garnacho, a 2004 Spaniard from Manchester United. Price 50 million. Manna is already at work but Conte has shown the way. #sportitalia #napoli @tvdellosport #conte @ManUtd @sscnapoli.”

The Italian reporter contends “Manna is already at work”, referring to Napoli’s Sporting Director, Giovanni Manna. This suggests the Serie A side have already made contact with their Old Trafford counterparts over a move for Garnacho.

As an academy player, Garnacho’s sale would constitute a treasure trove from an FFP perspective. Furthermore, the transition to a 3-4-3 under Ruben Amorim has left the 20-year-old without an obvious place in the starting eleven, as he lacks the defensive skillset to play as a wingback and the technical quality to play in the number ten positions.

Garnacho is best deployed as a flying winger in a 4-3-3 on the left-hand side – the exact position Kvaratskhelia’s departure would free up in Napoli – and his pace and trickery would cause nightmares for Serie A defenders.

While there is a commendable ethos at Old Trafford around the promotion of youth, and every fan would be pained to see an academy graduate who has produced as many memorable moments as Garnacho has since he burst onto the scene, there is logic to the club entertaining this deal.

The Argentinian international is a rare player in the dressing room who will command a sizeable fee in the transfer market; and this is heightened by the fact he is not an obvious fit in Amorim’s system.

At a bare minimum, United need a new left wingback urgently, while a proven goal scorer and a more natural number ten/central midfielder are also likely to to be high on the Portuguese coach’s wish list this year.

Garnacho’s departure could fund one, if not two, of these potential signings without losing an obviously crucial piece of the jigsaw for Amorim, in the way that Mainoo or Leny Yoro’s sales would impact the long-term starting eleven.

It may simply have to be a price worth accepting if such an offer arrives for the 20-year-old winger to allow Amorim to continue to transform his new squad.

Featured image Stephen Pond via Getty Images

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