Manchester United want 'the next Diego Maradona' as Ruben Amorim's first signing: report

Manchester United are eyeing a "special talent" compared to Diego Maradona, as part of a statement signing to kickstart the Ruben Amorim regime.

The Portuguese manager is set to take charge of Manchester United on November 11, but while he will be tasked with turning the club's fortunes around on the pitch, plans are already being put in place for the next two transfer windows to give Amorim the best chance of success.

That will involve replacing flop Antony with a winger that has earned high praise and comparisons in recent seasons, with the Brazilian's time at Old Trafford set to come to a close following the sacking of Erik ten Hag.

Manchester United want Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are looking to sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, with the Georgian winger top of Amorim's wishlist. The report suggests that Kvaratskhelia's contract negotiations with Napoli have reached an impasse due to the player's insistence on a low release clause.

While Transfemarkt values him at £67m, Napoli have slapped a £90m price tag on Kvaratskhelia, who still has two years left on his contract - meaning he won't be available for cheap for at least another year.

Nicknamed 'Kvaradona', thanks to his similar play-style to Diego Maradona and importance to Napoli, Kvaratskhelia has been identified as someone who will "light up Old Trafford" alongside Amorim's arrival.

Manchester United will face competition, however, with the report adding that Liverpool and Arsenal are both tracking the situation, with Kvaratskhelia's struggles in contract negotiations a key factor clubs are focusing on.

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With Amorim preferring a 3-4-3 formation, Kvaratskhelia would likely play as one of the No.10s in the system, creating from advanced areas of the pitch. The 23-year-old is proving his capabilities in that respect once again this season, rediscovering his Scudetto-winning form with five goals and two assists in 11 Serie A appearances as Napoli top the table.

In FourFourTwo's view, it remains to be seen if Manchester United can afford Kvaratskhelia, let alone convince him to move to Old Trafford. He's an extremely exciting talent wanted by the majority of top European sides, suggesting he'll have the pick of the bunch of where he'd prefer to move.