Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Cody Gakpo & Luis Diaz’s 2024/25 Stats Compared

When the summer transfer window closed, several Liverpool fans would have been worried about the season ahead. Arne Slot faced the unenviable task of replacing Jurgen Klopp without truly being backed in the transfer market. Federico Chiesa was the only player brought in to immediately join the squad, though it feels as though the Italian never arrived at Anfield given how little he has played.

Despite these obstacles, the Reds are far and away the superior team in the Premier League, sitting at the top of the table, six points clear with a game in hand. It is abundantly clear that the group Slot inherited was good enough and needed no significant additions. However, the latest rumours suggest that the Dutchman’s patience in waiting to make his mark on the team may have paid off, with Liverpool potentially eyeing a move for Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

David Ornstein of The Athletic has reported that the league leaders are keeping tabs on the Georgian star and are prepared to rival Paris Saint-Germain for his signature should Napoli decide to sell. With that in mind, GIVEMESPORT has decided to compare Kvaratskhelia’s stats from the 2024/25 season with those of the two men he would likely be competing with at Anfield – Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.

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Finishing

Luis Diaz has been the most lethal in front of goal

When it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, all three players are usually playing a supplementary role to either Mohamed Salah at Liverpool or Romelu Lukaku in Naples, who are the two primary goalscorers for their respective sides. However, out of the trio, it is Diaz who comes out on top in this section. The Colombian has not only scored more goals (eight) than his counterparts, but he also has a far superior conversion rate and shot accuracy.

Kvaratskhelia is at least tied with the Liverpool number seven for efforts on target this season, but the statistics do not make great reading for Gakpo, considering his goalscoring prowess at PSV and his record at Euro 2024.

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Chance Creation

Kvaratskhelia stands tall in creating opportunities for his teammates

While scoring the goals themselves may not be their main roles, there will always be pressure on the three wide men to provide for the focal points in each of their teams. If you’re Salah or Jota, the idea of having Kvaratskhelia in your supply line may be a mouth-watering one, as he has reigned supreme over Diaz and Gakpo in this area.

The Georgian has played more passes overall and created more chances for his teammates. As a result, he leads the way in assists – partly due to quality and partly due to sheer persistence. The only statistic he doesn’t come out on top of is crossing accuracy, but this is largely down to the fact that he attempts more Therefore, his margin for error is lower. Given that Slot relies more on one of the best crossers of the ball in Trent Alexander-Arnold, it may be the case that this matters little in terms of how Kvaratskhelia could settle at Anfield, as he may have to be one of the men looking to capitalise on these deliveries.

Possession

All three are equally impressive in terms of their possession stats

While there have been clear standout winners in the other two categories, things are a little tougher to call when it comes to how well each player has performed in terms of keeping hold of possession this season. The stats suggest that Gakpo is perhaps the most efficient, recording the highest take-on completion rate and losing possession on the fewest occasions.

Diaz, on the other hand, has attempted more take-ons and had more touches inside the penalty area, making him arguably the biggest threat in the final third of the pitch. That leaves the potential incoming Napoli star impressing the most in his overall duels, with the winger also being fouled the most out of all the attackers.

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Conclusion

Kvaratskhelia an exciting option but shouldn’t be a priority

While the stats show that Kvaratskhelia would be an exciting upgrade on Gakpo for Arne Slot’s side, the difference between his and Diaz’s form isn’t so stark that bringing in the Georgian should be considered the club’s top priority. While the Reds have been near perfect this term, signing a more consistent number nine, a potential replacement for Alexander-Arnold, and a long-term alternative for Andy Robertson at left-back should perhaps be closer to the top of Liverpool’s shopping list.

There is the idea that their hand could be forced if they want the 23-year-old that badly. As previously mentioned, PSG are believed to be the favourites in the race, while there has been some interest from Manchester United in a swap deal involving Marcus Rashford. While that could accelerate any potential move, it would certainly feel like a case of Diaz being hard done by if he were to lose his place in the Liverpool first team.

All statistics courtesy of Squawka and Transfermarkt – accurate as of 09/01/2024