Since turning things around at Arsenal after a difficult few years in charge, Mikel Arteta has not got many decisions wrong.
While Arteta has come under scrutiny for his failure to get the Gunners over the line since winning the FA Cup in 2020, he has put his side in a position to contend for the biggest prizes in football again.
But Arsenal fans will be frustrated about their status as nearly-men in the past few seasons, especially considering they perhaps could have lifted silverware if the Spaniard had a top-class striker to work with.
Viktor Gyokeres could join Arsenal in the summer but it is still worth investigating why another campaign has gone by without Mikel Arteta leading them to glory.
Mika Biereth says he could’ve helped solve Arsenal’s striker crisis
Last summer, Arteta’s side let one of Europe’s most talented young number nines in Mika Biereth join Sturm Graz — who has since joined Monaco for £11 million (The Athletic) and impressed.
Ian Wright was disappointed Arsenal sold Biereth as he has gone on to etch his reputation as a promising goalscorer.
The 22-year-old himself believes he could have helped Mikel Arteta’s side up front this season, telling BBC Sport: “Yeah, I think not only am I thinking that, maybe a few other people are thinking that. I think that is just how football works.”
Biereth feels he has proven Arsenal wrong for not giving him a sniff by thriving at senior level elsewhere, saying: “When I was there, I was not really getting a feeling that there was an opportunity for me. I didn’t want to wait around and hope for something lucky. I’d rather go out and prove myself and I think I have done that to a certain extent so far.”
Biereth, who Jamal Musiala praised has 27 goals in all competitions this season and reflecting on his time at Arsenal, he added: “Football is a weird sport, you can always think ‘what if I didn’t do this or what if I didn’t do that?’
| MIKA BIERETH STATS THIS SEASON | |
| STARTS | 40 |
| GOALS | 27 |
| ASSISTS | 8 |
“The way I think about stuff is that I can’t keep thinking about ‘what if I stayed?’ I’m really happy here at Monaco and playing really well and we have just secured Champions League football for next season.”
How Folarin Balogun has done at Monaco since Arsenal exit
Arsenal fans will be familiar with the feeling of regret regarding Biereth as they sold his teammate Folarin Balogun in 2023 as well.
The US international seemed set to become a world-class striker, based on how well he had fared at Reims in particular.
However, Balogun has struggled at Monaco, scoring just 12 goals in 48 appearances.
Biereth has done the opposite, however and he has every right to back himself to have helped Arsenal this season.
But from the Gunners’ point of view, they will be looking ahead and with Andrea Berta keen to sign Gyokeres, they could sign a truly elite number nine who could lead them to silverware for years to come.
