Scotland duo Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour's Napoli title charge could be hijacked by huge £70m deal

Scott McTominay and Napoli’s Serie A title charge could be derailed by a big-money bid for one of their star players.

The Naples-based outfit are currently top of Italy’s top flight under manager Antonio Conte, with Scotland internationalist McTominay playing a leading role at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona following his £25 million move from Manchester United during the summer transfer window.

However, a piece of major winter transfer business may weaken Napoli ahead of the second half of the season after stories from France emerged that Paris Saint-Germain are weighing up a huge offer for one of world football’s most sought-after players.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Scott McTominay have linked up well at Napoli this season. | Getty Images

It is being reported that free-spending French champions PSG are prepared to pay £70m for Georgian playmaker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is regarded as one of the star attractions in Serie A.

Kvaratskhelia has scored five goals and laid on three assists for Napoli this season and is contracted to the club until 2027. However, reports out of Italy suggest that the Gli Azzurri hierarchy would entertain an offer for the 23-year-old should it meet their valuation.

PSG want to enhance their attacking options as they bid to land the Champions League this term and are willing to spend big in this window in order to fend off potential interest from elsewhere. They have also approached Napoli with a player-cash offer too, with centre-half Milan Skriniar being mooted as makeweight for the deal. Conte needs a new defender after an injury to Alessandro Buongiorno.

McTominay and Kvaratskhelia have linked up well this season and losing such a creative force would undoubtedly be a blow to Napoli, who are looking to reclaim the Scudetto that they won two years ago. PSG were keen on signing Kvaratskhelia last summer, only for Conte to block any potential move.

Kvaratskhelia missed Napoli’s most recent match, a 3-0 win away at Fiorentina, due to a knee issue, but is expected to return to full fitness imminently.

Billy Gilmour is also at Napoli. | Getty Images

On a four-game winning run, Napoli are currently three points clear at the summit of Serie A in one of the most intriguing Italian title races for some time, albeit they have played one game more than second-placed Atalanta and two games more than defending champions and third-placed Internazionale.

McTominay and fellow Scotland internationalist Billy Gilmour have played a major part in Napoli’s re-emergence at the top end of Italian football, although former Rangers academy graduate Gilmour has recently struggled to get into the team, falling behind Stanislas Lobotka in the pecking order for the No 6 role.

Napoli’s midfield options could be enhanced further by the arrival of Philip Billing from Bournemouth, who is close to moving on loan to the Italians for the remainder of the season. There is reportedly a £9m option to buy in the summer for the Dane.