Georges Mikautadze to return to FC Metz
Sold to Ajax this summer, while attempting to keep him on loan, FC Metz will finally recover Georges Mikautadze for the second half of the season. A loan agreement has been reached with Ajax.
FC Metz supporters likely have smiles on their faces today. The player who scored 23 goals in Ligue 2 last season with the team, earning the titles of top scorer, player of the year, and promotion to Ligue 1 in the process, is expected to return to the club in the coming hours on loan, according to L’Equipe. He had departed for Ajax Amsterdam this summer in exchange for a €16 million transfer. Unfortunately, the adventure has come to an abrupt end.
The 23-year-old forward never adapted to the Dutch club. He started off far down the hierarchy, behind players like Brian Brobbey and Chuba Akpom. Already lacking playing time, the few occasions he was on the field saw him playing in a position that wasn’t his own, either on the wing or behind the central striker. He played only 338 minutes spread across 9 matches and was also not helped by the prevailing instability at Ajax.
The sporting director Sven Mislintat, then the coach Maurice Steijn, and finally the president Pier Eringa, all resigned one after the other or were dismissed for various reasons. The capital club endured a dreadful first third of the season, even occupying a relegation place at one point. Since then, the team’s sporting situation has improved, except for the Georgian player who still hasn’t seen any playing time. John Van’t Schip, the new coach, does not have plans for him.
His return is eagerly awaited by FC Metz, which has struggled offensively since the departure of its leading attacker at the end of August. The former Lyon player had managed to score 2 goals, one less than the current top scorers for the team (Cheikh Sabaly and Ablie Jallow, each with 3 goals). This highlights the potential impact his return could have for the second half of the season. Laszlo Bölöni’s team has not won since November 26 and has dropped to 14th place in the standings.
