Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia received the Ballon d’Or in the next few years from Partenopeia’s teammate Viktor Osimkhen.
The Georgian national team player arrived from Dynamo Batumi in July and conquered Italy, becoming the central figure in the Napoli scudetto draw.
Luciano Spalletti’s side are 15 points clear at the Serie A summit after 25 games, with no player boasting more than nine assists from Kvaratskhelia in Italy’s top flight this season.
The 22-year-old, who has been linked to many of Europe’s elite clubs, has scored 10 more league goals of his own.
Napoli striker Osimhen is the only Serie A player to boast a high number of hits this season (22 – 19G, 3A) and the Nigerian expects Kvaratskhelia to go all the way to the top.
Osimhen, speaking after receiving the Italian Foreign Press Association’s best foreign player award, said: “He’s a great guy, I knew that right away.
“Everyone loves him in the dressing room, not only for what he does on the pitch, but also for what he does off the pitch.
“I believe he can win the Ballon d’Or in the next few years, hopefully he will also bring a lot of success to Napoli.
While Kvaratskhelia continues to attract transfer interest from around the world, Osimkhen has been linked with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.
The 24-year-old has reaffirmed his commitment to Napoli for the foreseeable future as Spalletti has been aiming for a League One title since 1990.
He added: “Playing in Serie A is great for me. I know that people think the Premier League is the most important championship in the world, but until I think about it, I don’t know what will happen next.
“I work hard and am happy to play in Naples. I’m doing my best to reach my goals and maybe play in the Premier League someday, but I’m enjoying the moment.
“For me, Serie A remains a big challenge, with characteristics that are different from other leagues and with fans who always make you feel their support. In that aspect, this is the best league for me.”
