Sturm Graz want to sign Arsenal striker Mika Biereth this summer, but they’re likely to face strong competition, according to a report.

Simon Collings reports for The Standard that Sturm Graz want to sign Mika Biereth this summer, but the striker’s form will have caught plenty of eyes around Europe, and the Austrian club are likely to face competition for a potential transfer.

Sturm already had to fight off competition from Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the January transfer window, and that was before he went on to score eight goals in his first 11 games for his new loan club.

Biereth scored in three of his four Europa Conference League games, and he’s helped the team into the Austrian cup semi-finals and second place in the league.

Across the entire season, including his time spent with Motherwell FC, Biereth now has 20 goal contributions in 26 games. He scored six goals for Motherwell and assisted five before switching clubs in January.

Sturm Graz sporting director Andreas Schicker admitted they would have liked to have signed Biereth permanently in the first place.

“Arsenal was not willing to include an option to buy, but nevertheless, we will still explore the possibility of keeping Mika longer than the summer,” Schicker said.

“Right now, we are just focusing on having a really skilled attacker that we can benefit from in the current half-season. What happens next, time will tell.”

As for Biereth himself, he admitted he was open to a permanent move in January, though he’s still hoping for a chance at Arsenal.

“When I come back in the summer hopefully I can get an opportunity,” Biereth said recently.

“My biggest priority is I need to be playing first-team football. I’m not overly keen on sitting on benches and just watching. I want it to be like the six months I had at Motherwell and the start here: playing games and scoring goals.”