By Martin Graham
As Arsenal near the end of the campaign with no silverware and lacking a recognized centre-forward, there is a player who was on the Gunners’ books 12 months ago who is now one of Europe’s most prolific goalscorers. Mika Biereth, once on the books at the Emirates, has emerged as one of the most clinical strikers in European football this year. The 22-year-old has netted 13 times in just 15 league appearances for Monaco since his move in January.
Biereth had initially exited north London last summer, making a permanent switch to Austrian side Sturm Graz for a fee reported to be around £4 million with potential add-ons. His red-hot form in France has included three hat-tricks in February alone, tallying 10 goals in his first 10 matches for the Ligue 1 outfit. This blistering run of form also earned him a senior debut for Denmark in March during the Nations League.
Since Biereth’s arrival at Monaco, only Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé has scored more in Europe’s top five leagues, registering 18 goals compared to Biereth’s 13. Arsenal’s leading Premier League scorer over the same stretch is Mikel Merino—primarily a midfielder—who has found the net just five times.
Biereth, born in London but eligible to represent four different countries, came through the ranks at Fulham before catching the eye of Arsenal scouts. He was brought to the club in 2021 as part of a shift in academy recruitment, which focused more precisely on players with standout qualities. His drive, mentality, and eye for goal made him a standout, similar to recent addition Tommy Setford, a goalkeeper signed from Ajax who has already debuted in the Carabao Cup.
Despite these qualities, breaking into Mikel Arteta’s side proved difficult. With Arsenal heavily focused on a possession-dominant system, Biereth—who describes himself as a more traditional striker—struggled to find a clear route into the first team. While injuries could have eventually opened up an opportunity, the style mismatch made immediate chances slim.
