It`s often said that this season`s Paris Saint-Germain squad lacks top-tier attacking superstars. While Ousmane Dembele is a notable presence, the arrival of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia strongly challenges this idea. The Georgian player may not have the same global fame as previous major signings, but in terms of pure footballing quality, he absolutely belongs in the same discussion as Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe.
He could potentially be even more significant than those players, especially if he helps them finally secure the highly desired Champions League trophy. This goal seems very achievable after the 1-0 victory against Arsenal. Should PSG finally fulfill their main objective, there`s a strong argument to be made that Kvaratskhelia is the most immediately impactful January signing in football history. Players like Virgil van Dijk and Nemanja Vidic eventually won major honors. Luis Suarez and Bruno Fernandes quickly made huge impacts in their leagues. However, none of them quite matched Kvaratskhelia`s instant influence on winning.
Considering the existing talent led by Dembele and PSG`s midfield strength, it`s an interesting hypothetical whether Luis Enrique`s team could have reached a European champion level without their $90 million January acquisition. That remains unknown. What is certain is that adding Kvaratskhelia to the team has dramatically improved both the baseline performance and the ultimate potential of the French champions.
This was clearly demonstrated on Tuesday night. Throughout the current season, Arsenal`s right defensive flank has felt almost impenetrable. The world`s best wingers – including Vinicius Junior, Savinho, Luis Diaz, and even Kvaratskhelia`s own PSG teammates back in October – have tried and failed to find success against Jurrien Timber. Mikel Arteta encourages his wingers to help defensively, but make no mistake, he relies heavily, even demands, that his fullbacks win their one-on-one duels. This strategy nearly always succeeds, but no one has given Timber as difficult a time as Kvaratskhelia did.
In just over 10 minutes, Arsenal`s approach shifted from scrambling to quickly assist Timber as Kvaratskhelia created the opener for Dembele, to needing three players on the right side simply to contain the dynamic Georgian. The result? A skillful dribble weaving between two defenders, a desperate challenge from the right back, and what should have been a penalty for PSG.
Kvaratskhelia had less decisive moments as the game wore on, but his threat never truly faded. With 80 minutes played, a combined effort from Timber and Bukayo Saka couldn`t stop him cutting onto his right foot and hitting a shot towards goal. Arsenal were simply fortunate that, for once, Kvaratskhelia`s technique wasn`t perfect. Arsenal would be wise not to expect that luck to hold in the return leg at the Parc des Princes.
This performance was almost a complete dismantling by Kvaratskhelia, something that has become common since he moved to Europe`s major leagues from Batumi in the summer of 2022. When Napoli signed their new number 77, the most optimistic expectation was a season consolidating Champions League qualification and perhaps challenging Serie A`s top teams late on. Instead, he unlocked new potential for the club, which had spent years trying to recapture the glory days of the 1990s. Within a few games, his name was being spoken with reverence in Italian football circles. Months later, he was being loudly celebrated.
There`s a reason he was nicknamed Kvaradona long before he helped end Napoli`s long wait for their third Scudetto. (Sidebar: Without getting into a pundit-style rant, one might wonder if Kvaratskhelia, arguably the best player in Italy in 2023, would have received more Ballon d`Or votes than goalkeepers Yassine Bounou and Emiliano Martinez if he came from a more traditionally dominant footballing nation?). Like Diego Maradona, he`s a player who gets fans on their feet whenever he has the ball. His incisive runs often produce stunning results, whether it`s a powerful strike into the top corner against Emi Martinez in the Champions League quarterfinal or a beautiful chip over the Bologna defense to assist Giovanni Di Lorenzo near the end of his time in southern Italy.
Kvaratskhelia has already captured the hearts of one of Europe`s most passionate fan bases, and he appears well on his way to winning over another. Within weeks, the Parisian supporters were chanting his name. By embracing him so quickly, they`ve eased what could have been a difficult mid-season transition for such a unique talent.
“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 said. “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 that is exactly what he is. When he has the ball at his feet, Kvaratskhelia might seem like the kind of unpredictable dribbler thought to be a thing of the past, yet what he does without the ball points to the future of modern wingers. This is what sets him apart from players like Neymar and the later-career Messi at PSG, who were not required to contribute defensively as much. On Tuesday night, he made five tackles, led his team in interceptions and recoveries, and even helped clear dangerous crosses into the box.
It was difficult not to feel that if Arsenal, who have long been searching for a new left winger, had made a significant move for Kvaratskhelia this winter, perhaps they would be the team looking like the top contender by the semifinal stage. They never came close to signing him once Napoli decided their star player could leave; the preparatory work PSG had done in the summer quickly paid off within hours during the mid-season transfer window.
That $90 million is proving to be money exceptionally well spent. PSG paid for superstar quality, acquired superstar talent, and may very soon find they have finally won the trophy that is expected of super teams. Without Kvaratskhelia, that achievement might never have been possible.
