Mika Biereth: The £4m Arsenal Sale Now Worth More Than Viktor Gyökeres?
Last summer, Arsenal quietly sold young Danish striker Mika Biereth for around £4 million—a decision that drew little attention at the time. Fast forward a year, and Biereth is now being spoken about as one of the brightest young forwards in Europe, with some even claiming he’s now “worth more” than Viktor Gyökeres, the Swedish international who’s one of the most in-demand strikers on the continent.
Biereth was part of Arsenal’s academy, having joined from Fulham in 2021. Despite showing flashes of promise, he never made a senior appearance for the Gunners. After loans at RKC Waalwijk in the Netherlands and Motherwell in Scotland, he was sold to SK Sturm Graz in Austria in 2024. There, he immediately caught the eye with his combination of power, movement, and finishing ability. His form was instrumental in Sturm Graz’s strong domestic campaign and earned him a January move to AS Monaco for a fee reported to be around £12 million—three times what Arsenal received.
Since arriving in France, Biereth has taken his game to another level. In just his first seven Ligue 1 matches, he scored 10 goals, including three hat-tricks—a feat that put him in rare company and catapulted him into the European spotlight. By the end of the season, he had scored 23 league goals, placing him ahead of elite names like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, and Alexander Isak in the race for the European Golden Boot.
In contrast, Viktor Gyökeres, who made a high-profile move to Sporting CP from Coventry City in 2023, has also had a fantastic rise. He scored heavily in both the Portuguese league and European competitions, prompting reported interest from clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and AC Milan. His value, according to various reports, sits in the £54–65 million range.
So how can Biereth be considered “worth more” than Gyökeres?
It comes down to value relative to investment, current form, and market trajectory. Biereth was bought for just £4 million, and within 12 months, his value tripled, with Monaco now likely able to sell him for far more. His explosive start in Ligue 1 and rise up the Golden Boot rankings suggest a ceiling that may even surpass Gyökeres. Biereth is also four years younger, which only adds to his long-term market appeal.
From Arsenal’s perspective, it’s a missed opportunity. Though they reportedly inserted a sell-on clause, many fans are questioning why the club didn’t give Biereth more time to develop internally—especially given the need for striker reinforcements in recent seasons.
In just one year, Mika Biereth has gone from an overlooked prospect to one of the hottest forwards in Europe. Whether he’s truly “worth more” than Viktor Gyökeres is subjective, but based on his form, trajectory, and age, it’s clear that Arsenal let a serious talent slip through their fingers.