West Ham eyeing ‘stellar’ £17m striker who has a ‘genuine poacher’s instinct’

West Ham United are finally up and running in the summer transfer window, with two signings to their name this month.

The Hammers have signed Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse, and discussions are ongoing for several other players.

One report that did the rounds earlier this week involved West Ham and an up-and-coming striker who’s been making a real name for himself.

According to Le10 Sport, the Hammers have joined the race for Metz and Georgia forward Georges Mikautadze.

West Ham are up against the likes of Sheffield United and Lazio, who have apparently submitted bids for the 22-year-old.

Meanwhile, Lyon and Marseille are reportedly also monitoring proceedings for Mikautadze.

In terms of price tag, Metz apparently want at least €20million (£17million) for their asset.

So, what could West Ham fans expect from Mikautadze if the Hammers signed him? Let’s take a look.

West Ham target Georges Mikautadze – factfile

Mikautadze was born in Lyon and spent his formative years in French academies, including that of his home city.

In 2016, he joined the Metz setup, where he came through the ranks and eventually made his first-team breakthrough.

Mikautadze cut his teeth on loan at Belgian side Seraing, where he got 36 goals from 57 outings between 2020 and 2022.

Last summer, he returned to Metz and quickly made a name for himself, registering 23 goals and eight assists en route to promotion from Ligue 2.

Although Mikautadze’s side lost 5-1 in their top-flight opener against Rennes, the player did at least register an assist.

If West Ham signed him, they’d be getting a player who has a ‘genuine poacher’s instinct’ and has been in ‘stellar goalscoring form’, according to Breaking the Lines.

Total Football Analysis have also lauded Mikautadze, describing the 5ft 9in talent as a ‘genuine attacking threat’.

The 2021 scouting report deemed him an ‘extremely mobile forward player who can drift across the width of the pitch to take advantage of weak points in the opposition defensive structure.’

All in all, Mikautadze looks like a good shout for West Ham. He’s young, prolific, has a high ceiling, and isn’t particularly expensive.