Sturm Graz director Andreas Schicker has confirmed he’s in talks with Arsenal and Mika Biereth over a return to the club this summer.
Kronen Zeitung report that Arsenal already turned down one approach from Sturm Graz to sign Mika Biereth back in March, but club director Andreas Schicker is still trying to make a deal happen.
“I’m in talks with Arsenal,” Schicker confirmed. “I’ve spoken to Mika, he’s always felt comfortable with us.”
The report suggests Sheffield Wednesday are also interested in Biereth, though Sturm have the advantage of Champions League football.
Sheffield outlet The Star had previously confirmed that Sheffield Wednesday had reignited their interest in Biereth ahead of the summer, having previously attempted to sign the Arsenal forward in January.
Biereth’s spell with Sturm Graz has only strengthened Wednesday’s interest, though their pursuit of his signature is complicated by the player’s contract situation.
The 21-year-old’s Arsenal deal runs out in 2025, yet Sheffield Wednesday want him on loan. For that move to have a realistic chance of going through, he’d have to extend his Gunners deal first.
Biereth spent the season on loan with two clubs, first playing for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership before moving to Sturm Graz in Austria for the second half of the season.
That proved an inspired switch, with the striker going on to win his first two trophies in senior football.
First, Biereth helped his team to lift the OFB Cup, scoring one and assisting one in his three appearances from the quarter-finals onwards. After that, he helped his team to secure the Austrian Bundesliga title with five league goals and three assists.
Biereth ended the season with 15 goals and nine assists between his two loan spells, a goal contribution every 111 minutes.