Aston Villa are on the verge of signing a striker from Ligue 1 club Lyon, according to reports on Friday.
Villa are understood to be ramping up their transfer activity with the deadline now just a few days away and both depth and quality badly needed after a disappointing start to the season.
It’s been widely reported today that Villa have reached ‘personal agreement’ with Georgian international Georges Mikautadze, one of the break-out stars of Euro 2024 last summer. No transfer fee has been agreed at this stage, with Villa reportedly offering €25 million and Les Gones holding out for a higher fee in negotiations with Monchi, Villa’s president of football operations.
Lyon are understood to be under pressure to make a sale before the transfer deadline passes at 7pm UK time on Monday 1st September in order to fulfil their own financial requirements. Mikautadze, otherwise, would not be a player they’d like to sell.
It’s a situation with which Villa supporters might be familiar.
The 24-year-old has been Lyon’s first choice striker since joining the French club last summer and has benefited from the departure of senior striker and former Premier League star Alexandre Lacazette.
Mikautadze has already scored a league goal this season, opening his 2025/26 account with a goal against Lens in Lyon’s opening Ligue 1 fixture.
Mikautadze isn’t a household name in the same way as compatriot and Champions League winner Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, also plying his trade in France with Paris Saint-Germain, but he certainly has some of the former Napoli star’s talent and swagger.
Former Metz man Mikautadze really caught the eye at EURO 2024, stealing the spotlight with three goals and one assist at the tournament in Germany. He shared to goalscorer accolades with Bayern Munich striker and England captain Harry Kane, Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo and Barcelona forward Dani Olmo, who starred for eventual winners Spain.
Buoyed by Mikautadze’s international coming of age, Georgia reached the round of 16 in their first major international tournament. His form inevitably attracted interest from clubs all over the content but he opted for a return to Lyon, where he started out as a teenager.
Since rejoining the leading club in the city of his birth, Mikautadze has featured in 49 matches in all competitions, scored 18 times and assisted 11 goals.
In common with most Villa striker targets, the Georgian international would be a versatile addition to Unai Emery‘s front line. He can play as the centre-forward, a second striker or wider on the left, making him an ideal fix for a number of Villa’s shortcomings against Newcastle United and Brentford in the Premier League.
Villa have played Youri Tielemans in the 10 and Morgan Rogers to his left from the start of both matches and are yet to score a goal this season.
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