Arsenal’s Mika Biereth has joined Sturm Graz on loan, after being recalled from Scottish Premiership side Motherwell.

Just over a week ago, Scottish journalists were denying that Mika Biereth had been recalled from Motherwell by Arsenal, insisting the striker was just back training with the Gunners over the winter break and would return to Scotland imminently.

But the picture became less clear a few days later, when reports suggested Sheffield Wednesday were looking to hijack Biereth’s season-long loan.

Everything seemed to be heading in that direction, as Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell confirmed Biereth had been recalled.

Yet there was one further twist to come, with reports then confirming that it was Austrian side Sturm Graz who were taking over the loan, not Sheffield Wednesday.

Sturm Graz themselves have now confirmed the transfer, reporting that Biereth has signed on loan until the end of the season.

The striker will wear the number 18 with the Austrian club, and Biereth admitted it’s been a bit of a whirlwind for him this week.

“The last few days have been very exciting, everything happened very quickly, but that’s just how it is in football,” Biereth said.

“SK Sturm is a big club in Austria that has high goals – just like I am very ambitious and strive for the highest both in my personal development and with the team.

“Arthur Okonkwo, a player on loan from Arsenal, was recently extremely successful here in Graz – I hope to be able to follow in his footsteps in this regard.”

Biereth scored six goals and assisted five in just 1,045 minutes for Motherwell, a goal or assist every 95 minutes in all competitions.

That record was particularly impressive given the 20-year-old’s knee injury in August, keeping him out for two months.

The Arsenal loanee returned in the same form he’d started the season, and he’ll now hope to show what he can do in the Austrian first division.

As well as sitting second in the Austrian Bundesliga and fighting for the title, Sturm Graz are also in the quarter-final of the Austrian Cup and the knockout round play-offs of the Europa Conference League.

Like Okonkwo before him in Austria, it looks like Biereth will be thrown into some high-pressure games, which should provide him with valuable experience.