It has been pleasing to see West Ham United show proactivity in the transfer market this summer, instead of biding time and being forced into reactive moves after one disappointing development or another.
Technical director Tim Steidten clearly held some positive talks at the maiden stage with Julen Lopetegui, who has replaced David Moyes, for teenage winger Luis Guilherme has been signed for £25.5m and centre-back Max Kilman has been welcomed to the rearguard for £40m.
More is yet to come. The fact remains that signing a striker is the east London outfit's most pressing concern, and if reports are to be believed, the transfer cannon has been levelled in that direction.
West Ham bid for new striker
West Ham have submitted a bid to sign FC Metz striker Georges Mikautadze, who was one of the standout performers for Georgia during their impressive Euro 2024 campaign.
It was Football Insider with the reveal, though they do stress that interest is thick and it would take an offer of €25m (roughly £21m) to convince the Ligue 1 outfit to sell.
With a throng of suitors eyeing up the dynamic striker, Steidten better kick on with negotiations to ensure that Mikautadze moves to the London Stadium.
The Georgian isn't the only striker the Irons could bring to the capital this summer, however, with Aston Villa's Jhon Duran a player said to be on their radar. Fabrizio Romano has even suggested that personal terms have been agreed with the player.
What Mikautadze would bring to West Ham
Rumour has it that Danny Ings is heading back to Southampton, with the respective Premier League sides currently haggling over a £6m figure. The 31-year-old hasn't exactly been brilliant for the Hammers, scoring four goals from 52 appearances.
Moreover, Divin Mubama has left the club after his contract expired and Michail Antonio is now 34, starting just 21 Premier League matches last year as he battled against injuries.
Mikautadze, 23, would be a brilliant addition to shape the frontline with fresh clay, ranking among the top 11% of centre-forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
The Georgian ace was in prolific showing in the French top flight last year, scoring 13 goals and supplying four assists across just 20 appearances, averaging 1.1 key passes, 2.1 dribbles and 4.3 successful duels per game to boot, as per Sofascore.
If there have been concerns in the past concerning how the nimble star's skills would translate to life on the major stage, he has dispelled such notions with his talismanic efforts in Germany over the past month, hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig as the "living legend" of his nation.
Georgia, a nation with less than half the population of London, earned the loftiest of laurels during their historic run to the round of 16, defeating Portugal to rise from the group stage for the first time in their history. They achieved this illustrious feat not through regimented pragmaticism, but through the breezy, free-flowing football of an awe-inspiring side.
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia deservedly takes the plaudits as Georgia's prized possession, but Mikautadze proved that he is a figure of similar importance, notching three goals and an assist across four outings.
It might not be the easiest of deals to engineer, with Monaco pressing to complete a deal and a host of further suitors lingering, but West Ham will hope that the allure of the Premier League and the promise of a starring role as the Irons spearhead could tempt the 5 foot 9 forward to make the move to London.
Matches played
4
Matches started
4
Goals
3
Assists
1
Pass completion
83%
Shots per game
1.5
Key passes per game
1.3
Dribbles per game
1.8
Duels won per game
4.5
Given Mikautadze's athletic ability, he must be prioritised as the top target to fight for a place as United's focal frontman, and Lopetegui must discard interest in Sevilla's Youssef En-Nesyri to get the move over the line.
How Mikautadze compares to En-Nesyri
As per Spanish reports in June, West Ham have been considering a swoop for their long-term target, who has been transfer-listed for an affordable €20m (£17m) by the Spanish club with his contract set to expire in one year.
The 27-year-old has been described as a "pure goalscorer" by Kulig and indeed would arrive off the back of a sharp scoring season, posting 20 goals across 41 fixtures in all competitions.
He's an imposing target man at 6 foot 3 but not quite the most mobile of players, and as the chart below will show, the Morocco international is one of the lowest-ranking forwards regarding his passing metrics.
Lopetegui will strive to implement more of a passing focus at West Ham than that of his predecessor, with a balanced but flexible structure opening up fluid passing play.
Mikautadze would be the perfect player to add to the mix in this regard, not least because of his crisp and creative emphasis. The Georgia star, further to the point, is progressive and would be able to effectively influence attacking sequences through his driven, penetrative approach into the final third.
Furthermore, the electrifying support of stars such as Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and the earlier-mentioned Guilherme makes for the perfect, balanced frontline that would see Mikautadze thrive.
While West Ham have already been active in the transfer market this summer, there's no hiding from the fact that signing a new centre-forward is the priority.
Mikautadze could be the poster boy for years to come, with so much yet to give but so much already showcased. Steidten and Co need to get this one completed with dispatch.
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ByAngus Sinclair
