‘He’s not Kylian Mbappé, but he’s Metz’s Mbappé’ – Laszlo Bölöni praises Georges Mikautadze | OneFootball

Georges Mikautadze could prove to be FC Metz’s saviour. After leaving the club at the end of August to join Ajax, he made a surprise return to Metz in January. At the time of his return, Les Grenats were one of the favourites for the drop. His goals have now lifted Metz out of the relegation places.

The Georgian international, despite spending almost half of the season in the Eredivisie, has been involved in 41% of Metz’s goals this season. With 10 goals in Ligue 1, he also has seven more than Metz’s second-top scorer, Matthieu Udol. His latest, which came against fellow strugglers Le Havre AC, takes Metz, who had looked destined for the drop, out of the relegation zone.

Speaking to L’Équipe, Mikautadze said that he was “disappointed” by how his spell at Ajax went, stating that he was “going mad” during his time in the Dutch capital. He was also critical of the Eredivisie side, which Mikautadze believes didn’t create an environment conducive to his success.

He was undervalued at Ajax but he isn’t at Metz. “He lost quite a bit of his honour at Ajax,” reacted Metz manager Bölöni post-match. “Now, he’s rediscovering his wellbeing. For the whole team, when you have a goalscorer, it’s the most joyous thing. Mikautadze isn’t Kylian Mbappé but he’s FC Metz’s Mbappé!”

GFFN | Luke Entwistle