West Ham set to miss out in race for Georgia star Georges Mikautadze

West Ham United are set to miss out on Georgia star Georges Mikautadze despite tabling a significant proposal, according to Le10sport.

Mikautadze burst onto the scene at the 2024 European Championship in Germany, playing a pivotal role in Georgia’s fairytale run to the knockout stages of the tournament.

The FC Metz striker spearheaded their attack, contributing three goals and an assist in the group phase to fire the Euro 2024 surprise package into the round of 16.

While Georgia’s historic campaign was eventually halted by pre-tournament favourites Spain, Mikautadze left an undeniable mark in the competition, sparking plenty of interest from European clubs.

Despite paying £11 million to re-sign him on a permanent deal from Ajax this summer, Metz are willing to cash in on Mikautadze for a significant sum, slapping a £17m asking price on the Georgian star.

West Ham were eager to wrap up a deal for Mikautadze. However, despite submitting an offer reportedly well above Metz’s asking price, our pursuit of the coveted star hit a significant roadblock.

European football is a key criteria for the player

Mikautadze is reportedly keen to join a club that can offer European football next season, effectively ruling West Ham out of the race for his signature.

The Hammers are eager to bolster their attacking options this summer but will have to look elsewhere for reinforcement, with AS Monaco and AS Roma now front-runners to sign Mikautadze.

A number of players have been linked with a move to the London Stadium, including Chelsea striker Armando Broja.

However, our interest in the Albanian striker has stalled, which suggests that technical director Tim Steidten is looking for a more prolific option.

Jonathan David is another option we could explore, but our absence from Europe could also scupper our chances of landing the Canadian striker this summer.

David has also been linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Manchester United, so it remains to be seen if he’ll consider a move to the London Stadium this summer.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com