Mika Biereth: Arsenal’s Future Number Nine?
Mika Biereth is a 21-year-old fearless striker with ambitious goals to reach his full potential in the game. The Danish international spent the first half of the season on loan at Motherwell, where he had a successful spell scoring six goals with five assists in 14 appearances before he was recalled in January – a decision that left Steelman boss Stuart Kettlewell ‘disappointed’, as he expected Biereth to be at the club until the end of the season.
Biereth is now back out on loan at Austrian side SK Sturm Graz, where he scored on his debut in a 2-0 victory over Austrian Wien in the quarter-final of the Austrian Cup. Whilst he was kept scoreless in his first two league matches against RB Salzburg and Rapid Wien, he did open the scoring within four minutes of their 4-1 win vs. Slovan Bratislava in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
The former Fulham academy player is a robust striker who can be a real thorn in the side of any defence he’s playing against. There are high hopes within Arsenal that Biereth could go on to be the club’s future number nine forward. The prospect if fully aware of the competition he faces to try get into Mikel Arteta’s first team squad as it’s already stacked with quality players in the striking department.
Speaking in December about the challenges of getting into Arsenal’s first team, he said:
“It’s difficult to get into that first team at Arsenal. At any of the really big clubs in the world, if they don’t have a player for a certain position they can go and spend £100m for one. So, it’s not a failure if you don’t make it at Arsenal. Of course, my No.1 objective is to get into their first team. But maybe I’ll get a move somewhere else, whether that’s another loan or permanent. Going to a level below at 20 years old wouldn’t be a massive failure. Folarin [Balogun] had to move on. He’s 22 but we played together for the Under-21s at Arsenal.
“He went to Middlesbrough, Reims and now Monaco. His rise has been really quick. He’s a great player and doing well in France. Do I believe I can make it at Arsenal? Of course, I have to believe. Why wouldn’t I? You always have to believe in your ability. If I played in that team, I’d score goals but it’s just about showing people that.
“Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are basically the face of Arsenal and both came through the academy. So, there’s definitely a pathway. The manager is aware that I’m here at Motherwell and what I’m doing.”
Sturm Graz have reached the knockout round of a European competition for the first time in 21 years, and they will be counting on the Danish youth international striker as they look to continue their deep run. They haven’t reached the Round of 16 of a European tournament in four decades, but they are in pole position to end that drought thanks in large part to the impressive form of Biereth in attack.
By: Scott Bradley / @ScottBradleyX
Featured Image: @GabFoligno / Mark Scates – SNS Group