Mika Biereth is now closing in on a move to AS Monaco after they agreed a fee with Sturm Graz, netting former club Arsenal some money in the process.
Simon Collings reports for The Standard that AS Monaco and Sturm Graz have agreed a deal for the transfer of Mika Biereth, who only left Arsenal for Sturm last summer.
Biereth had spent time with Sturm on loan before making his move permanent in a £4m deal in 2024, but Monaco have now agreed a €13m (£10.9m) fee with a further €2m (£1.7m) in add-ons. The striker is due to undergo a medical before the move is made official.
This is good news for Arsenal, given the Gunners had a significant sell-on clause in Biereth’s contract. Collings writes that Arsenal will earn “a seven-figure sum” from their sell-on, adding a minimum of £1m to their total earned from the youngster.
Monaco are in the market for a striker this month, given the recent injury to another former Arsenal academy forward in Folarin Balogun. The expectation is that Balogun will miss around four months after shoulder surgery.
The Ligue 1 club did seem to stall on the deal over the asking price, with Sturm reportedly asking for €20m (£16.8m). The two clubs seem to have compromised on a fee that could ultimately reach €15m (£12.6m).
Biereth has a contract with Sturm until 2028, and he’s scored 14 goals in 25 appearances this season, including two in the Champions League.
Sturm are on their winter break, so Biereth wouldn’t have been able to add to that tally in a competitive fixture until the Champions League returns on January 21st. It looks like he’ll already be a Monaco player by then.