Conte holds no ill will towards wantaway Kvaratskhelia

Napoli boss Antonio Conte insisted he holds no anger towards wantaway attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Conte confirmed prior to Napoli’s clash with Hellas Verona on Sunday that talisman Kvaratskhelia had stated his desire to leave the club in January.

Paris Saint-Germain are reported to be chasing the 23-year-old, who has starred for Napoli since joining in 2022.

Kvaratskhelia has directly contributed to 47 Serie A goals (28 goals, 19 assists) since making his Napoli debut, with only four players registering more goal contributions in the competition in that time.

Only AC Milan forward Rafael Leao (21) has provided more assists than Kvaratskhelia in that period, and only Inter’s Federico Dimarco (151) has created more chances than the Georgian’s tally of 145.

Despite Kvaratskhelia’s request to leave, Conte harbours no ill will towards the winger.

“It’s a disappointment for me, not for the player or the club,” Conte told DAZN. “In six months I failed to change the situation.

“I believe a coach should help a club to make decisions and advise on what players to sign. When I realise that I was unable to make a difference here, that is my disappointment.

“I take nothing from Khvicha, he’s a good lad, but everyone has to decide their own destiny, just as the club has to make its decisions.”

Two players who are key to Conte’s plans at Napoli are Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku.

The pair featured in Napoli’s 2-0 win over Verona, which extended their lead at the summit of Serie A to four points.

Lukaku assisted Frank Anguissa to score Napoli’s second after Lorenzo Montipo’s early own goal had put the Azzurri ahead.

“There have certainly been changes since the beginning of the summer, especially as I am still trying to find the right tactics for this team,” Conte said.

“The arrival of Scott McTominay and Romelu Lukaku, in particular, made a big difference to the switch to 4-3-3.

“We tried a couple of different formations before we settled on this one.”