Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a Georgian sensation, was available to Leeds United in the summer of 2021, but Victor Orta and Marcelo Bielsa decided to sign Dan James instead, who cost more than twice as much.
After a remarkable ninth-place performance in 20/21, there are many factors that contributed to Leeds’ collapse in the Premier League, with board-level investment and arrogance being the main problems.
Despite having good connections to several players who could have upped the level, Marcelo Bielsa needed to make changes to the team that had been performing so well for him.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia would have been a good fit for Leeds.?
In the summer of 2021, only two senior signings were made by Leeds, who first acquired Dan James on deadline day for £25 million after bringing in left-back Junior Firpo for £13 million.
Initial plans for Leeds and Victor Orta included another left winger, with relatively unproven Georgian international Khvicha Kvaratskhelia admitting that he had spoken with the team:
“Discussions are being held with numerous clubs. We have already entered the last stretch. With whom are we negotiating? I am unable to state that.
Discussions with Leeds? They have already been conducted and may continue.
one that escaped
You’d be hard pressed not to get European football if you put together a team of guys Leeds was heavily linked with, and Kvaratskhelia is the worst mistake of them all.
He quickly found himself in the Serie A with Napoli after leaving Russia for his native Georgia’s Dinamo Batumi in 2022. In his debut season, he was electrifying on the left side.
He contributed 12 goals and 13 assists in the league to help Napoli win the long-awaited Scudetto. He also contributed two goals and four assists during his team’s run to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
The news that Kvaratskhelia has been included in the shortlist for the FIFA Best Men’s Player award has now added salt to the wounds, according to Fabrizio Romano: