Somehow, between now and mid August when the 2025-6 Premier League campaign kicks off, West Ham will have a new striker. Antonio – probably – and Ings- certainly- will be gone and Fullkrug too, more than likely a distant memory. Either West Ham have to be lucky enough to sign Evan Ferguson from Brighton – if the young lad re-desicovers some form – or the Hammers need a big ‘win’ to two in the transfer market.
Clearly, a Premier League club with European ambitions cannot simply pick up a modest Championship striker a là Jordan Hugill and hope that this time it pans out better. Proper money is going to have to change hands.
At the same time, links with €50 million players are laughable. West Ham just don’t have that PSR wiggle room even if David Sullivan does find 50 mill in the boardroom broom cupboard.
So news that the Hammers are entertaining a refreshed bid for a former target at £30 million seems plausible: The source, fichajes.net claims “West Ham has set its sights on Georges Mikautadze, a forward from Olympique de Lyon:The Georgian attacker has been a key player for his team, scoring 12 goals and providing 6 assists in 36 matches played. His performance has sparked the interest of the London club, which would be willing to make an offer close to 35 million euros to secure his services.”
Mikautadze at 24 is a more plausible Hammers target at a price which could be split over several years. thesscoutingapp.com suggests: “Despite his medium height for a centre-forward position, Mikautadze is a tremendously self-sufficient and versatile player. He is capable of both playing in the half spaces, receiving the ball between lines and participating in the building, and attacking the open spaces. In addition to that, his powerful lower body also makes him an absolute winner in individual duels both offensively and defensively.”
Not the big front man that Potter might go for: More Chicarito than Carroll, so you’d think probably not a top choice.