The prevailing view this season is that the restructured Paris Saint-Germain side lacks prominent attacking superstars. While Ousmane Dembele`s continued presence already cast doubt on this notion, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia`s arrival unequivocally challenges this comfortable narrative. The Georgian player might not possess the same global recognition as previous high-profile additions, but his sheer quality makes him entirely deserving of being mentioned alongside the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe.
He might even prove more significant than those players, particularly if he helps secure the coveted Champions League trophy for the club. This possibility seems highly realistic following their 1-0 win at Arsenal on Tuesday. Should PSG finally achieve their primary objective, there`s a compelling argument to be made that Kvaratskhelia is the most immediately impactful January signing in football history. While Virgil van Dijk and Nemanja Vidic went on to claim major honors over time, and Luis Suarez and Bruno Fernandes quickly ignited their respective leagues, none arguably delivered such a profound and instant positive effect on a team`s winning capabilities.
Considering the talent already present, led by Dembele and PSG`s midfield, it`s an interesting hypothetical whether Luis Enrique`s squad could have reached European champion status without the $90 million January addition. That`s impossible to know. However, what is certain is that Kvaratskhelia`s integration has dramatically elevated both the baseline performance level and the ultimate potential of the French champions.
This was vividly apparent on Tuesday night. Throughout this season, Arsenal`s right flank has functioned like an impenetrable defensive barrier. The world`s top wingers – including Vinicius Junior, Savinho, Luis Diaz, and even Kvaratskhelia`s own PSG teammates back in October – have struggled unsuccessfully to find joy against Jurrien Timber. While Mikel Arteta might instruct his wingers to provide support, he fundamentally trusts, indeed demands, that his fullbacks win their individual duels. This approach almost always works, but no one has troubled Timber as much as Kvaratskhelia did.
In the space of barely 10 minutes, Arsenal`s defense shifted from scrambling to assist Timber as Kvaratskhelia provided the opener for Dembele, to needing to commit three players to the right side purely to try and contain the mercurial Georgian. The outcome? A mesmerizing dribble weaving between two defenders, a desperate foul from the right-back, and what should undoubtedly have been a penalty for PSG.
Kvaratskhelia`s effectiveness lessened slightly as the match progressed, but his menace never fully subsided. With 80 minutes gone, even a double-team effort from Timber and Bukayo Saka couldn`t stop him from shifting onto his right foot and unleashing a shot. Arsenal was simply fortunate that, for once, Kvaratskhelia`s execution faltered. They would be wise not to rely on that happening frequently in the return leg at the Parc des Princes.
This was a performance that bordered on a complete dismantling, a type of display that has become entirely commonplace since Kvaratskhelia arrived in Europe`s major leagues from Batumi in the summer of 2022. When their new number 77 signed, Napoli`s best-case scenario seemed to be a season focused on securing Champions League qualification and perhaps challenging the Serie A giants towards the end of the campaign. Instead, he unlocked entirely new possibilities for the Partenopei, a club that had for many years been pursuing the phantom of their late 1990s peak. Within just a few matches, his name was being spoken with reverence in Italian football circles. Months later, it was being celebrated loudly from the rooftops.
There`s a reason he was nicknamed `Kvaradona` long before he ended Napoli`s long wait for their third Scudetto. (A quick thought: without wanting to speculate wildly, might Kvaratskhelia, clearly the standout player in Italy in 2023, have received more Ballon d`Or votes than goalkeepers like Yassine Bounou and Emiliano Martinez if he had hailed from a nation with a more traditional footballing pedigree?)
Like Diego Maradona, this is a player who ignites passion in the stands every time the ball is at his feet. His penetrating runs frequently result in astonishing final outcomes, whether it`s the powerful strike into the roof of Emi Martinez`s net in the Champions League quarterfinal or the exquisite chip over the Bologna defense to set up Giovanni Di Lorenzo in the final days of his time in southern Italy.
Kvaratskhelia has already won the affection of one of Europe`s most emotional fanbases in Naples, and he appears well on his way to captivating another crowd in Paris. Within weeks, the Parisians were echoing chants to the rhythm of `Kvara`. By embracing him so warmly, they have smoothed what could otherwise have been a difficult mid-season transition for such a uniquely talented player.
“The fact that they welcomed me into the family so quickly and that I felt really happy and comfortable really helped me find my place on the pitch, and I`m doing my best to make the most of it,” Kvaratskhelia commented. “From the very first moment, I felt strong support from the fans. Then, when I stepped onto the pitch, I felt both happy and like a great footballer.”
And a great footballer he is. When he has the ball, Kvaratskhelia might embody the unpredictable dribbler often thought to be a relic of the past, yet his actions without the ball showcase the future of modern wingers. This is what distinguishes him from players like Neymar or a later-stage Messi who were given more creative license at the former PSG. On Tuesday night, he completed five tackles, led his team in interceptions and recoveries, and even dropped back to help clear dangerous deliveries into the box from Arsenal.
It was difficult to ignore the feeling that if Arsenal, long in the market for a new left winger, had made a major push for Kvaratskhelia this winter, they might be the team looking like tournament favourites at the semi-final stage. They never got close once Napoli decided it was time to part ways with their star player; the groundwork PSG had established during the summer came to fruition within hours of the mid-season transfer window opening.
That $90 million is proving to be exceptionally well spent. PSG invested superstar money, acquired superstar talent, and may very well find themselves lifting the trophy that defines elite teams before long. Without Kvaratskhelia, that achievement might never have materialized.
Dominic Ashworth