Man Utd step up scouting mission for Liverpool target viewed as Mo Salah replacement

Manchester United have sent a representative to watch Khvicha Kvaratskhelia with the Napoli star still not agreeing to sign a new contract.

Kvaratskhelia's current deal with the Serie A side is not due to expire until 2027 but his future has been much speculated upon in recent months with a move to the . have also been linked with completing a move for the 23-year-old.

Despite arising in the summer, has already scored four goals and provided two assists in his opening eight Serie A games this term. The forward has notched almost a century of appearances for Napoli and has earned a record of 29 goals and 28 assists for the side, having previously played for Rubin Kazan, FC Rustavi, Dinamo Batumi, Lokomotiv Moscow and Dinamo Tbilisi.

United watched the Georgia international as he scored against Empoli and also took interest in teammate Alessandro Buongiorno, . With time left on his contract, may prove difficult to persuade in any sale of Kvaratskhelia however.

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The player's agent touted a move for his client over the summer. “I don’t want people to think that Kvara wants to stay at Napoli," Mamuka Jugeli told Georgian outlet in June.

“We want to leave, but we are waiting for the end of the Euros so as not to disturb Khvicha. The priority is to join a team that plays in the .”

Kvaratskhelia's representative later backtracked on that comment, putting the ball in Napoli's court. The Serie A ace's next steps remained uncertain.

"Kvaratskhelia without the Champions League? Then he wants to win the Scudetto,” Jugeli said (via ). “For the future everything depends on the president of Napoli. If he thinks of selling Kvara, he will do. If he wants the renewal, he will renew."

Kvaratskhelia has been linked to a move to Paris Saint-Germain but a Premier League transfer appears to be more appealing. It is reported that the Ligue 1 club were turned down as the player wants to test him self in England, and Liverpool and two other unnamed clubs have shown an interest.

Former Reds midfielder Dietmar Hamann has described Kvaratskhelia as "close to a perfect replacement" for , whose contract is set to expire in 2025.

"When you walk to a ground on a Saturday, it's players like him that people talk about; that people want to see. He gets bums off seats," Hamann added. "He's a very humble guy."

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