Anyone growing frustrated at Arsenal’s iniability to sign a striker would be best served averting their eyes from Ligue 1.
As Matheus Cunha declares his intention to remain at Wolves, and a deal for Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins looks difficult to do before Monday night, a player who was at Arsenal’s disposal not too long ago is lighting up Europe. Amid injuries to the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, the north London side have looked increasingly in need of a goalscorer to spark a title charge and they may just have sold one last summer.
Mika Biereth bagged a hat-trick for Monaco on Saturday to continue a remarkable season. After leaving Arsenal in a £4million deal to join Sturm Graz last summer, the Danish star scored 11 goals in 16 appearances in the league and produced two more strikes in the Champions League to earn a move to Monaco.
The 21-year-old has required little time to settle and now has four goals in his first three Ligue 1 games after collecting the match ball against Auxerre. Arsenal pocketed a sell-on fee after Biereth’s latest transfer, but perhaps would appreciate his talents to help them to the end of the season.
Biereth did not make a senior appearance for the Gunners and spent last season on loan at Motherwell and Sturm Graz. The youngster managed 15 goals in his second season of professional football after spending the season before with RKC Waalwijk – a mark he has already surpassed this term.
Arteta admitted ahead of this weekend’s match with Manchester City, the side still hope to land a forward before the transfer deadline. The Spaniard remained coy over possibilities.
“I’m very confident with the work that the club is doing, and exploring every single opportunity that we believe can have an impact on the team,” he said. “If that’s the certainly the case and we can agree on something, we will, and if not, we won’t.
“We are trying everything that we can, but I don’t want to give any reassurance or not. It doesn’t depend only on us, so our intention is clear, but the possibilities are affected by three parties.”
Asked if there was a possibility Arsenal did not reinforce their forward line, Arteta said: “It doesn’t depend on us.
“We have the intention, the purpose and the ambition to try to help the team and support the squad to be better and to finish the season really, really strong. And we are actively trying to do that.”
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