Mikautadze’s 14 highlights: Lyon reject turned Villarreal record buy aims to kick on under Iñigo Pérez | OneFootball

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, Villarreal paid €30 million to sign Georges Mikautadze last summer, the biggest outlay in their history. After a slow start, the Georgian finished as the club’s top LaLiga scorer with 13 goals, adding one in the Champions League and one in the Copa del Rey.

His story began with a sting. Rejected by hometown Lyon at 14 for being too short, he rose from Saint-Priest to Metz, impressed in Ligue 2 and Ligue 1, and eventually returned to succeed in his city.

A record fee brought instant scrutiny. The opening months were uneven, with Marcelino offering pointed reminders in press conferences, yet flashes near the box showed his class. His first league goal arrived on matchday five and he had only two after 14 rounds before momentum took hold.

Across LaLiga and the Champions League his 14 strikes ranged from a debut header in a 2-1 win over Osasuna to a near-post rocket at Real Madrid. There were trademark dinks against Getafe and Alavés, a first-time volley versus Espanyol and a clever finish to cap a 5-1 defeat of Atlético.

More than a No nine, Mikautadze drops to link, turns sharply thanks to a strong lower body and carries the ball with poise. He added six LaLiga assists and a cool array of finishes, the chip a signature. Greater consistency remains the next step and, under Iñigo Pérez’s higher press and tempo, he has a platform to push on into 26/27.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo