Newcastle United are reportedly looking to add more firepower to their forward line, and have identified Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as one of their "main priorities".
Kvaratskhelia, 21, arrived in Napoli in July after a €10million purchase from Georgian side Dinamo Batumi, having previously played with Russia's Rubin Kazan before the invasion of Ukraine allowed foreign players to leave.
The Georgia international with 19 senior caps under his belt has been a revelation for Napoli, starting 11 of the 12 games he has been healthy for, resulting in six goals and seven assists for the Serie A leaders.
He has been just as impressive in the Champions League, collecting both a goal and an assist in back-to-back wins over Ajax, after contributing an assist in a 4-1 demolition of Liverpool.
Just six months after his arrival in Italy, the exciting winger's transfer value has skyrocketed, and Napoli will be faced with a tough decision about whether to cash-in on the player dubbed 'Kvaradona'.
TOP STORY – NEWCASTLE PLAN MOVE FOR GEORGIAN SENSATION KVARATSKHELIA
According to The Times, Kvaratskhelia has been scouted regularly by Newcastle this season, and they have been so impressed that "he has become one of the club's main priorities for the next two transfer windows".
With Napoli in the hunt for their first Serie A title since the 1989-90 season, it remains to be seen if they would part ways with one of their key contributors, but a bid in excess of €50m could force the Italian side into a serious meeting.
Newcastle are also enjoying their best season in some time, and although they will have their sights set on a Champions League berth, the Magpies will likely persist at the end of the season if a transfer in January is not an option.
ROUND-UP
– Mediafoot is reporting Manchester United are considering a move for 31-year-old Atletico Madrid and France forward Antoine Griezmann, while The Telegraph claims the Red Devils are after 23-year-old PSV and the Netherlands standout Cody Gakpo.
– According to The Times, Wolves are planning a busy transfer window, with Todofichajes reporting they want Spanish international Isco from Sevilla, as well as United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, per Express and Star.
– Journalist Ekrem Konur believes Everton have entered the bidding war for 22-year-old Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus after his excellent World Cup for Ghana.
– Sky Sports is reporting Leicester City, Wolves and West Ham are all showing interest in 22-year-old Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who plays for Angers in Ligue 1.
– According to Calciomercato, Paris Saint-Germain are confident they will land Inter centre-back Milan Skriniar on a free transfer at the end of the season.
England’s Georgia Stanway signs new deal at Bayern Munich
England international Georgia Stanway has signed a new contract with Bayern Munich to extend her stay until at least 2026.
The 24-year-old midfielder left Manchester City to join the German champions last summer before playing a key role in England’s home-soil Euros triumph and the Lionesses’ run to the World Cup final.
“For me it feels like home here, which is very important for me,” said Stanway following the announcement of her contract extension. “This is the best place for me and this is where I see my future.
“The opportunity to extend your contract with FC Bayern and the fact that the club also wants it is a great honour.
“As a football player, and as a professional athlete, you are here to assert yourself and we as a team are here to win. I think that goes without saying. I am very ambitious, so I will do everything I can to help the team, both on and off the pitch.”
Stanway collected a Frauen-Bundesliga medal in her first season at the club, making 21 starts and scoring six times, as well as netting three Champions League goals.
“My favourite moment of last season was definitely winning the championship,” added Stanway, who played in England’s 2-1 defeat against the Netherlands on Tuesday.
“The week before the last league game was the longest week ever. And then finally playing against Potsdam and scoring a goal in the first few minutes was a great feeling.
“Lifting the championship trophy at the end was something very special. Once you get a taste for it, you definitely want to experience it again.”
Bayern head coach Alexander Straus added: “Georgia is still young and will become even more important to our team than she already is.
“She has grown into a leadership position within our team over the last year. I think everyone could see how important she was to us.
“We believe in Georgia, and I’m pleased that Georgia also believes in our team and our mission.”
Deadline-day signing Sofyan Amrabat: I only ever wanted to play for Man Utd
Deadline-day signing Sofyan Amrabat says he only ever wanted to join Manchester United and believes Erik ten Hag’s side can “do something big” this season.
The 27-year-old’s qualities came to the fore during the 2022 World Cup, where his outstanding midfield displays helped Morocco on their historic run to the semi-finals.
Amrabat was linked with moves aplenty after Qatar and numerous clubs expressed their interest in a player that only wanted to leave Fiorentina this summer for one destination.
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The midfielder played under Ten Hag at Utrecht at the start of his career and was determined to link back up with him at United as he wrapped up a long-discussed deal at the start of September.
Asked if it was a difficult process waiting to get the move, Amrabat said: “Yes, of course.
“After the last game with the club, it was the Conference League final with West Ham and from that moment, the window started for me.
“A lot of clubs, a lot of speaking, talking, but for me it was clear I wanted Manchester United.
“It was long, long months for me, difficult months for me, but at the end it’s nice on the last day that I signed here and that I’m here is now the most important (thing).”
United paid 10million euros (£8.6m) to sign Amrabat on loan for the season, with the deal including the option to trigger a permanent move.
The Serie A will receive a 20m euros (£17.1m) fee and up to 5m euros (£4.3m) in potential add-ons if that option is taken by Ten Hag’s men.
“I don’t think about that,” Amrabat said of his future beyond this season. “For me, today, I am a Manchester United player.
“The only thing I can do is every day to give everything that I have, to do my best, to try to help the team.
“I hope we have a fantastic season, I hope we can win something and then later we will see what will happen.
“Of course, I would love to stay here, but that’s not important for me. I don’t look too far into the future.”
Amrabat spoke as he basked in the afterglow of an impressive first appearance at Old Trafford, where he helped United beat Crystal Palace 3-0 in the Carabao Cup third round.
“It was fantastic,” he said with a smile. “It was a dream of mine. Since I was a child I worked for this every day and to be here is a dream, it’s fantastic.”
After a small injury delayed his debut, Amrabat finally made his bow off the bench in Saturday’s much-needed win at Burnley before making his first start against Palace three days later.
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Those back-to-back victories have lifted the mood around Old Trafford after what had been a challenging start to the season on and off the field for absentee-hit United.
Pressure and scrutiny had grown having lost four of their opening six matches of a season for the first time since 1986, but Amrabat is confident they can kick on and enjoy a successful season.
“I have a lot of confidence because I see that we have so much quality,” he said.
“I think it was a bit unlucky with the injuries we had. Of course for every team it’s difficult if you have a lot of injuries.
“But I see a lot of quality, we have a fantastic coach, we have fantastic fans, so I believe that we can do something big.
“But at the end you have to show it on the pitch, not with talking, not with speaking, you have to work for it and hopefully we can reach something very nice.”
United won the Carabao Cup in their first season under Ten Hag, who described Amrabat as a “warrior” on Tuesday as he started as makeshift left-back due to a string of absentees.
“First of all, when I make a step on the pitch, for me it’s normal that you give everything, that you fight for every metre and give your all for the team,” the Morocco international added.
“Of course you can make technical mistakes, everyone can have a bad game, but I think – at the end – most importantly, you fight for the badge, for the club and that’s the minimum you can do.
“I think, for me, that’s normal and that’s what I try always.
“The manager knows me very well, a long time – maybe seven years ago that we worked together, so it’s a long time.
“But he knows me, I know him, I know what he wants and I try to do that at the best (level).”
5 Women’s Super League players to look out for this season
A busy summer transfer window saw one of the biggest names in the Women’s Super League switch sides, while a Japanese World Cup standout is set to play English top-flight football for the first time.
Here, the PA news agency picks five players to look out for in the WSL as the new campaign gets under way.
Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Arsenal tried and failed – with a rumoured world-record bid – to reach an agreement with Manchester United to sign England forward Russo during the January transfer window, but the Gunners finally landed their coveted target on a free transfer in July.
Russo hit 10 goals in the WSL last season as United finished runners-up to champions Chelsea and was boss Sarina Wiegman’s first-choice centre forward for the World Cup, where she netted three times for the runners-up.
With Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema also set for imminent returns from their respective anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, head coach Jonas Eidevall will boast an intimidating wealth of options in attack.
Hinata Miyazawa (Manchester United)
While Brazil international Geyse, a Champions League winner last season with Barcelona, will likely be seen as the most direct replacement for Russo, boss Marc Skinner will also be buoyed by the arrival of Japan international Miyazawa from WE League side MyNavi Sendai.
Versatile Miyazawa’s five goals in four games at the World Cup were good enough to secure her the tournament’s Golden Boot, and her breakthrough performance also landed the 23-year-old nominations for both the Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Women’s Player of 2023.
With United playing more matches this season after securing a Champions League berth for the first time, Miyazawa adds pivotal depth to Skinner’s squad.
Mary Fowler (Manchester City)
While Fowler is not a new face at Manchester City, where she signed a four-year deal last June, the forward may find herself under a much brighter spotlight this season after helping Australia reach a first-ever semi-final in a Women’s World Cup.
Fowler was instrumental in ensuring the Matildas secured safe passage out of the group stage even without prolific striker and skipper Sam Kerr, who returned for the knockouts following a calf injury.
The 20-year-old netted in Australia’s 4-0 group stage victory over Canada, teed up Caitlin Foord with a brilliant through ball in her side’s last-16 victory over Denmark and scored a perfect penalty against France in a nervy quarter-final shootout – the longest in Women’s World Cup history – to solidify her status as one to watch.
Catarina Macario (Chelsea)
Macario became one of the many victims of the ACL injury crisis plaguing women’s football whilst playing for Lyon in June 2022 and has yet to return to action – but that did not stop WSL title-holders Chelsea from signing the 23-year-old to a three-year deal in July.
Though still in the early stages of her career, the American forward, who joins the Blues after two seasons with Lyon, has already accomplished something her decorated new boss Emma Hayes has not: winning a Champions League trophy.
Macario, who can play as a central striker or an attacking midfielder, scored 23 goals in 33 games for Lyon in 2021/22 and could prove a key component of Hayes’ European plans once deemed fit to return.
Daphne van Domselaar (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa boss Carla Ward was in search of a new goalkeeper after former first choice Hannah Hampton, whose contract had expired, also joined Hayes’ ranks over the summer.
Villa, who finished fifth last season, have signalled their intent to take on the league’s top sides with a busy transfer window and were delighted after beating big European challengers to secure the services of Netherlands goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar from FC Twente for the next three years.
The three-time Eredivisie Vrouwen winner, who joins Villa from FC Twente, was also the Netherlands’ first-choice shot-stopper at the World Cup.
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