Sabatini: Napoli wise to sell Kvaratskhelia, Garnacho ‘inconsistent’ | OneFootball

Italian director Walter Sabatini believes Napoli made the ‘wisest’ choice by selling Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to Paris Saint-Germain, but he is ‘unconvinced’ about Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, whom the Serie A giants reportedly targeted as the Georgian ace’s replacement.

Now without a job, Sabatini made himself a name for spotting talents throughout his several stints as a sporting director in Serie A at teams like Palermo, Inter, Bologna and Salernitana.

Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrates scoring the 0-2 goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and SSC Napoli, in Milan, Italy, 29 October 2024. EPA-EFE/DANIEL DAL ZENNARO

Asked to comment on Aurelio De Laurentiis’ choice to accept a lucrative offer for one of the Partenopei’s biggest stars, the 69-year-old claimed he’s not sure Antonio Conte’s side will become less competitive in the title race after the forward’s departure, insisting it will depend on who they’ll sign in his place.

Sabatini: Kvaratskhelia exit ‘wisest choice’ for Napoli, Chiesa better than Garnacho

“Selling Kvaratskhelia is the wisest and most advisable choice for Napoli,” Sabatini told Radio Marte, as quoted by Calciomercato.com.

“Faced with a significant offer, a club cannot forgo such a significant capital gain, especially for organisations that are self-sufficient and cannot rely on recapitalisations and capital increases.

“De Laurentiis has been keeping the finances in order for twenty years without compromising sports competitiveness, and this is the path to follow.

“It’s unfortunate to see Kvara go—a strong player leaving Italy—but selling him is an unassailable decision. At least 40-50% they get from this departure will remain to be reinvested in the market.

“At this point, it’s impossible to say if and how much Napoli’s competitiveness for the Scudetto will be impacted by losing the Georgian; much depends on who will replace him. However, considering the current squad, Napoli already have important resources.

“I’ll go further: Napoli must not only continue to compete for the Scudetto, but I also hope they win it. They would deserve it for the decisions De Laurentiis has made, both after the splendid Scudetto win and following last season’s negative results, by hiring Conte and building a strong team.”

Alejandro Garnacho of Manchester United during the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Newcastle United FC at Old Trafford on December 30, 2024 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

While Garnacho is reportedly among Napoli’s main targets to replace Kvaratskhelia at the Stadio Diego Maradona, Sabatini claimed that Federico Chiesa would be a better fit for Antonio Conte’s playing style.

“I don’t like discussing potential replacements for the Georgian that the press has been speculating about,” the director continued.

“However, I can say that Garnacho is strong but inconsistent, without a defined role, and he doesn’t convince me much.

“Chiesa, on the other hand, could do well under Conte, as Federico is a great player. I am astonished that he hasn’t found space in the Premier League. He’s fast, physically resilient, and has excellent skills in attacking and sacrificing for the team.”