Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Napoli parted ways during the January transfer window, with the Georgian talent choosing to join PSG. The Neapolitan club was forced to give in to avoid legal risks, as the winger could have invoked Article 17 of FIFA’s regulations to terminate his contract, putting pressure on the club’s management to accept the Parisian offer.
A tense standoff ending in a PSG transfer
Kvaratskhelia’s departure did not happen under the best conditions. Behind the scenes, a long standoff took place, ultimately resulting in his transfer to Paris during the winter window. Replacing the Georgian international proved to be a challenge for Napoli: after failing to secure Garnacho, Adeyemi, and Saint-Maximin, the club turned to Noah Okafor from AC Milan, though he was expected to play a secondary role behind David Neres.
Napoli’s complaint: “Almost blackmail”
Napoli’s sporting director, Giovanni Manna, claimed in a press conference that the club had been subjected to a form of “blackmail.” But why did he make such a statement? The answer lies in FIFA’s Article 17, which governs contract termination without just cause.
FIFA Article 17: A risk of leaving at a low cost
This article allows a player to unilaterally terminate their contract after three years (or two years if they are over 28). The player must notify their decision within 15 days of their last match and cannot transfer to a club in the same league for one year.
For Kvaratskhelia, this rule presented a real opportunity: his contract with Napoli was set to run until 2027, but it had no release clause. By invoking Article 17, he could have left for less than €10 million, an amount calculated based on his salary, age, and remaining contract duration. To avoid this risk, Napoli chose to accept PSG’s offer.