Tottenham Hotspur attacker Dejan Kulusevski is supposedly being targeted by Napoli manager Antonio Conte as a possible replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
Conte dropped the bombshell on Saturday that Kvaratskhelia had asked to leave the club, and Paris Saint-Germain are believed to be edging closer to a deal for the Georgian sensation.
Liverpool were also tipped to move for Kvaratskhelia were he to become available, but the 23-year-old is already said to have reached an agreement in principle with PSG, who are now working to strike an accord with Napoli.
The exit of 'Kvaradona' will leave Conte with Matteo Politano, Cyril Ngonge, David Neres and Alessio Zerbin as his wide options, and the Partenopei are expected to scope out a replacement with any monies raised.
According to a report from Tuttomercatoweb, Napoli have drawn up a three-man shortlist of ideal heirs to the Kvaratskhelia throne, and Tottenham's Kulusevski is among them.
Kulusevski 'appreciated' by ex-Spurs boss Conte
© Imago
The Sweden international was brought to North London in January 2022 when Conte was at the Spurs helm, joining on an initial 18-month loan deal from Juventus before sealing a permanent switch for £25.2m.
Kulusevski quickly settled in North London, and even though Conte left Tottenham in explosive circumstances in 2023, the Scandinavian has continued to thrive under Ange Postecoglou's wing.
From 127 appearances in a Spurs shirt, Kulusevski has registered 23 goals and 27 assists, and he has enjoyed a particularly productive 2024-25 season with eight goals and eight assists from 31 games.
One of those efforts came in Sunday's 3-0 FA Cup win over Tamworth, as Spurs overcame the National League outfit in extra time after failing to break through during the initial 90 minutes at the Lamb Ground.
Kulusevski has thrived as both a right winger and central playmaker in the current campaign, and the report claims that Conte 'appreciates' the attacker thanks to his adaptability and technical skill.
Prising the Swede away from North London could be a tall order, though, as Kulusevski is contracted to Tottenham until 2028, and club chairman Daniel Levy will no doubt drive an extremely hard bargain.
Which other Premier League star could replace Kvaratskhelia?
© Imago
Should Napoli fail in their efforts to reunite Kulusevski with Conte, they have reportedly set their sights on a pair of alternative targets, including Liverpool's Federico Chiesa.
The Italian is yet to settle at Anfield since making the move from Juventus over the summer, but he scored his first goal for the club in Saturday's 4-0 FA Cup hammering of Accrington Stanley.
Liverpool are not expected to entertain permanent or loan offers for Chiesa during the January window, so Napoli may have to abandon their Premier League search in favour of Lille's Edon Zhegrova.
The Kosovo international has bagged eight goals in 21 appearances for Les Dogues this season, and his contract only runs until the end of next season.
Moves for Manchester United pair Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford have also been mooted, but wages could prove to be a roadblock in both cases.
Ben Knapton
