Arsenal striker to leave in summer - despite impressive goalscoring form this season: report

Mikel Arteta is managing Arsenal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Arsenal at the London Stadium in Stratford, on February 11, 2024. (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal are set to let one of the strikers on their books leave this summer, even after some strong goalscoring form in 2023/24.

While the Gunners are embroiled in a three-team Premier League title race, Mikel Arteta has regularly decided to go without a recognised centre-forward in his team. 

Both Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah have had to impact games regularly from the becnh, but it's a younger player who could actually be set for the exit door in the upcoming transfer window. 

Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah celebates with the match ball after scoring a hat-trick against Sheffield United in October 2023.

Nketiah still hasn't managed to nail down the No.9 spot (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to the Evening Standard, Arsenal are willing to listen to offers for 21-year-old forward Mika Biereth, who has impressed in his loan spells at Motherwell and Sturm Graz this term. 

The Dane has bagged 14 goals across 26 appearances for both clubs in 2023/24, with Sturm Graz enjoying the fruits of Biereth's labour in the second half of this season. The Austrian side are reportedly keen on signing him on a permanent deal, too, though the report suggests it's likely they'll face competition for his signature. 

Though Biereth is enjoying a fine season in front of goal, it seems he's surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium and could be a useful player to sell to try and raise funds for elsewhere. He has appeared on the bench for the first team four times during his fledgling career, but he's so far failed to debut for Arsenal's senior side.

Mika Biereth of Arsenal during the pre season friendly between Arsenal XI and Watford at London Colney on July 08, 2023 in St Albans, England. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Biereth has spent this term on loan at Motherwell and Sturm Graz (Image credit: Getty Images)

A move away could, therefore, be the best move for both parties: Biereth would get regular first team football while Arsenal's transfer budget could be increased with his sale. Plus, at 21, Mikel Arteta would likely want the striker to settle into the first team quickly with the Gunners as they continue their challenge for trophies next season.

While only valued at £2.5m by Transfermarkt, it's likely Biereth would command a much larger transfer fee if he continues his impressive goalscoring form for the rest of the season in the Austrian Bundesliga. 

Indeed, Sturm Graz are still challenging Red Bull Salzburg for the title, while they're into the semi-finals of the Austrian Cup, too. 

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Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.