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Arsenal passed on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in 2022 over mentality concerns, opting for Marquinhos, who has since struggled.
Former Arsenal scout Tomasz Pasieczny has revealed why the Premier League giants decided against making a move for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in 2022.
Now 24, the Georgian winger is regarded as one of the brightest attacking talents in world football and was instrumental in PSG’s run to the Champions League final, including knocking Arsenal out at the semi-final stage.
Back in 2022, Kvaratskhelia was still plying his trade with Rubin Kazan in Russia before making a brief switch to Dinamo Batumi and then securing a move to Napoli for just £11 million.
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Kvaratskhelia’s Early Struggles in Russia
Since joining the French champions, he has scored four goals and provided six assists in 24 appearances, contributing significantly to a treble chase that has already yielded the Ligue 1 title.
Despite the winger's clear potential, Arsenal elected not to pursue him, opting instead to sign Brazilian youngster Marquinhos from São Paulo — a decision that has not paid dividends.
Marquinhos has managed only six senior appearances for Arsenal and is currently on loan at Cruzeiro, having also had unremarkable stints with Norwich City, Nantes, and Fluminense.
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Speaking to Polish outlet weszlo.com, Pasieczny shed light on the thinking behind Arsenal's decision.
"Georgia's youth team visited Poland, there was a qualifying tournament. My job was to pay attention to other teams, but when you saw them - Khvicha and Zuriko Davitashvili - we had long discussions with other scouts about who was better. Then I watched both of them in Russia, so I followed their development for a long time."
Pasieczny admitted he was tracking Kvaratskhelia closely during his time in Russia, but one performance in particular raised serious red flags.
"He couldn't cope with it. Every next move was bad, from start to finish. He got lost, the ball bounced off him, you could see that he had lost his confidence," he said, recalling a game against Dynamo Moscow as per DailyMail.
"He overcame it, but if it had continued, it would have been a problem. Being affected by a few thousand people in Kazan doesn't lead to a good rating."
Kvaratskhelia Shines While Marquinhos Stalls
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While there was no doubt about Kvaratskhelia's technical abilities and potential, Pasieczny and others were concerned about his temperament and ability to handle pressure at the highest level.
"Everyone knew he would be mega good, but they wondered how good. Whether he would be the absolute top or a bit lower. Few had any doubts that he wouldn't be anything at all. However, at that stage I had to write how it is, draw conclusions, write where the problems are."
In the end, Arsenal’s decision to pass on Kvaratskhelia in favor of Marquinhos has left fans and pundits alike questioning the club's scouting priorities.
Kvaratskhelia is prepared to play in the Champions League final against Inter Milan and the Coupe de France final against Reims, but the missed opportunity becomes ever more glaring.
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Meanwhile, Arsenal are left reflecting on what could have been, as one of the world’s most electrifying wingers continues to shine — just not in North London.
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