Arsenal and Liverpool have been criticised for missing out on the transfer of Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
The Georgia international has been a world class performer in the last few years, first making a name for himself at Napoli and then continuing to shine since his January move to PSG.
Somewhat surprisingly, PSG seemed able to sign Kvaratskhelia without any challenge from other top clubs this winter.
That now seems even more bizarre, with Kvaratskhelia performing so well against Arsenal in the Champions League semi-final first leg last night.
The 24-year-old terrorised the Arsenal defence, and it seems clear he could have been a big asset for Premier League clubs.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia transfer looks like a missed opportunity for Arsenal and Liverpool
Discussing Kvaratskhelia after last night’s game, Arsenal journalist Charles Watts expressed his surprise that there wasn’t more of a battle for his signature in January.
Writing in his latest exclusive CaughtOffside column, Watts said: “Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is a special player. There are not many attackers who can make Jurrien Timber look uncomfortable, but Kvaratskhelia certainly did that in the opening half an hour at the Emirates.
“It’s hard to look at the performances he has put in since moving to Paris and not think about what might have been for Arsenal had they pushed to land the winger when he became available at Napoli.
“I said at the time that Arsenal should have been all over him and nothing has changed my mind on that.
“I just love watching him. The way he plays, the way he loves to run at his full-back. He’s just a proper winger, a player who gets you on your feet whenever he gets the ball.
“He would have been a great addition to the Premier League and I know that Liverpool were said to be keen on landing him.
“But PSG moved quickly behind the scenes to make sure they were at the front of the queue.”
Can Khvicha Kvaratskhelia be the spark that guides PSG to Champions League glory?
Kvaratskhelia set up Ousmane Dembele’s winning goal away to Arsenal last night, and PSG must now surely be considered one of the big favourites to win the Champions League this season.
Kvaratskhelia will surely be one of the main players to watch in the second leg as well, and Arsenal will simply have to work out a way to deal with him better.
There’s a whole second leg still to come, but PSG are in a great position and will surely be confident of getting the job done at home.
After that, Kvaratskhelia and co. must surely feel they’re showing their credentials as potential champions of Europe.
