SETTABLOID

Mika Biereth simply cannot stop scoring for Monaco leading Arsenal fans to question why the Danish goal machine was never given a chance by Mikel Arteta.

The 22-year-old joined the Gunners from Fulham five years ago but never made a senior appearance for the north London club.

Fruitful loan spells at RKC Waalwijk, Motherwell and Sturm Graz failed to convince Arteta that Biereth was ready to challenge the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and Kai Havertz for a first team place.

After joining Graz permanently last summer, it wasn’t long before Biereth was on the move again, signing for Monaco in January.

The striker has made an astonishing start to his Ligue 1 career and registered his third hat-trick in seven games in Monaco’s 3-0 win over Reims last night.

Friday’s goals were his eighth, ninth and 10th since joining the club and follow hat tricks against Auxerre and Nantes.

Biereth opened the scoring against Reims after 34 minutes by stealing in at the back post to side-foot home a cross from Caio Henrique.

He doubled Monaco’s lead five minutes later when he steadied himself in a crowded penalty box and volleyed home.

His third was a simple tap in in the second half after a point-blank save by the Reims goalkeeper.

‘It’s a good night but the most important thing is the three points,’ the striker said after the game.

‘I admit I don’t fully realise what’s happening with this new hat-trick. I approach every game trying to score and my team-mates put me in good positions.

‘I think I’ve always been pretty good at putting the ball in the back of the net. Today, it worked well again. (On the balls brought home) I don’t have a lot of furniture at home, so at the moment, there’s a lot of space.’

Asked if he felt he could finish the season as the top scorer in Ligue 1, he added: ‘The end of the season is still a long way off, I’ll take it one game at a time and I hope the goals continue to come.

Arsenal Under-18 coach Adam Birchall insisted he was proud of his young side after their narrow FA Youth Cup defeat against Manchester United.

Playing in front of several thousand fans at a floodlit Emirates Stadium, the Gunners eventually succumbed 3-2 after extra-time.

Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, especially for 15-year-old Max Dowman who enhanced his burgeoning reputation with an outstanding display.

The creative midfielder is already firmly on the radar of Mikel Arteta who invited Dowman to take part in the club’s recent warm weather training camp in Dubai.

Amid an almost unprecedented injury crisis, the prospect of Dowman making his first team debut before the end of the season cannot be ruled out, although the Arsenal manager revealed he would need special dispensation to make that a reality.

Speaking last month he said: ‘We have Max and many other kids it’s a big opportunity for us to see them in our environment and it’s clear on the rules with age restrictions at the moment.

‘It’s very difficult to change that as well.’

For now, at least, Dowman looks more than comfortable competing against players who should be much futher ahead of him in his development.

At times he toyed with United last night, dribbling past opponents with ease and playing the sort of defence splitting passes that Martin Odegaard would have been proud of.

Although the night may have ended in defeat, Birchall was delighted with the way his team adapted to the challenge of playing on such a big stage and maintained that every one involved would have benefitted from the experience.

‘Super proud, I said to the boys after the game that football can be cruel. They’ve given absolutely everything,’ he said.

‘For such a young team, the way they dug in and the rollercoaster of the game, to still be pushing at the end to try and get something out of it really showed the personality they have, which is definitely a bedrock to go and have a career.

‘It’s going to hurt, they’ll need the weekend maybe to get over it but then they’ve got to use that hurt on Monday and we’ll go again.’

On the thrill of playing at the Emirates in front of so many fans, he added: ‘Look around you!

‘This is a spectacular place to come and play your football. It’s where a lot of these lads will go to bed at night dreaming of playing in the end.

“When the dust settles, I know that they’ll never forget this night. But we need to make sure that this night, regardless of the score, is a springboard to go and kick on and try to build a career.’

While it’s fair to say it’s not going to plan for Arsenal in attack at the moment, their defence has remained steadfast, conceding just five goals in their last eight games in all competitions – including four clean sheets.

Key to the Gunners’ defensive stability has been the partnership of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba – as well as some fine form of late for David Raya. With the Gunners’ full-back injury issues, the trio at the heart of the Arsenal defence has faced a rotating cast of support, and have excelled nonetheless.

However, with prolonged spells of excellent form comes interest from elsewhere, and Real Madrid have long been linked with a move for Saliba. It’s no surprise, given the Spanish side’s history of looking to sign the best young players in the world, with the likes of Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga joining in recent seasons.

With the Gunners looking likely to go another season without winning the Premier League, the pressure will ramp up on the club to hold onto their star men – be it players or manager Mikel Arteta.

There could be danger from elsewhere, as well. Liverpool look set to pip the Gunners to the title after a strong first season under Arne Slot. However, the Reds have a contract issue with three of their key men currently set to leave.

Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk are all out of contract at the end of the season. Alexander-Arnold, like Saliba, has been linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer and could join on a free transfer, which could be an absolute bargain for someone of his quality.

Arsenal have been given a major boost to their hopes of signing Matheus Cunha. The 25-year-old forward was heavily linked a move to numerous Premier League clubs in the January transfer window following his impressive performances for Wolves.

Cunha, who sees his contract at Molineux expire in June 2029, has featured 26 times in the English top flight this season, scoring 13 goals and providing four assists. Playing a key role in Vitor Pereira’s side, the Brazil international has managed to drag Wolves out of the bottom three.

They’re far from safe though, with just five points – and a significant goal difference – separating them from Ipswich Town in the relegation zone. Cunha’s eye-catching displays haven’t gone under the radar, with Arsenal reportedly interested in securing his signature.

While he may have recently penned a new deal in the West Midlands, Wolves could be forced to cash in this summer. The club have announced they recorded a net loss, after interest and tax, of £14.3m during the 2023/24 season.

This is a reduction on the £67.2m loss they incurred in 2022/23. Wolves also recorded a net player trading loss of £2.6m during the 2023/24 campaign – a huge improvement on the £38.6m loss in 2022/23.

In an official statement, Wolves acknowledged the impact of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules on business, highlighting the importance of player trading. An extract from the club’s annual report reads: “As is the case with all professional football clubs under the realm of the Premier League, there is a risk in respect of complying with the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), where failure to meet the required thresholds can result in both financial and operational sanctions to the Group.

Arsenal’s Premier League title dreams are in tatters for another season.

Barring an extraordinary collapse from Liverpool, who hold a 13-point lead at the summit, Arsenal’s title drought will extend to at least 22 years. Mikel Arteta’s side have come close to being crowned champions in recent years, but in truth, the Gunners have been nowhere near Arne Slot’s team all season long.

Injuries in key attacking areas have played a major role in Arsenal’s drop-off with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz all currently unavailable to Arteta. Winning the Champions League is still a possibility, but the draw has not been kind to Arsenal, with a potential quarter-final against Real Madrid and a semi-final against Liverpool if they find a way past PSV Eindhoven in the last 16.

So what should Arteta’s side look to do this summer? Below are the steps Arsenal should take to try and lift a first Premier League title since 2004 as football.london steps into the manager’s shoes…

Kimmich signs

Recent reports from Sky Germany have claimed that the Gunners are interested in signing Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich. The German is available as a free agent this summer and having won eight Bundesliga titles; he could bring the winning mentality so badly needed to get Arsenal over the line.

Kimmich would be a significant upgrade on Jorginho and with Declan Rice in midfield, the Gunners would have a formidable partnership. Arsenal would be an extremely attractive option for the Germany international and one that makes sense for all parties.

The summer transfer window promises to be extremely busy for Arsenal. Injuries have severely impacted the Gunners’ 2024/25 campaign and it’s clear that further quality in depth is needed going forward.

Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli have all had prolonged spells on the sidelines and the players who have played in their place simply have not been good enough. This has left Arsenal 13 points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, with the north Londoners also no longer in the Carabao Cup or FA Cup.

Mikel Arteta’s side are still in the Champions League, though, and face a round of 16 tie against PSV next week. With the search for a new sporting director continuing, plans are underway for the 2025/26 season and targets have already been identified.

One area Arsenal are expected to strengthen is central midfield as both Thomas Partey and Jorginho see their deals expire this summer. It’s possible both midfielders depart Emirates Stadium and football.london understands progress has been made in the deal to sign Martin Zubimendi.

It’s believed that work is in place to help bring the Real Sociedad midfielder to the club in the summer. There is a €60million (£51million) release clause in the Spain international’s contract that has existed for some time but even then, the likes of Liverpool have failed to entice the player away from the club he has developed and grown at in San Sebastian. Zubimendi, if signed, would be a great addition to the Gunners squad and would most likely join Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in Arsenal’s starting midfield.

Arsenal are also expected to strengthen their forward line in the summer transfer window and one player who continues to be linked is Nico Williams. The 22-year-old, who has six goals and seven assists in 32 appearances for Athletic Club this season, has been on Arsenal’s radar for a couple of years and would be an upgrade on Martinelli and Leandro Trossard. The Spaniard is said to have a €58million (£48million) release clause in his deal which, considering the market, is pretty decent value.

Dusan Vlahovic is increasingly likely to leave Juventus this summer and Aston Villa have joined Arsenal in the race for his signature, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.

The Serbian international’s contract with Juventus expires in 2026, negotiations over an extension are currently at a standstill and clubs are keeping a close eye on his situation.

Juventus are open to offering Vlahovic a new deal but only on lower terms than his current salary of around £215,000 per week. As a result, he looks set to leave the Bianconeri this summer.

As we have previously reported, Arsenal were the club most interested in signing Vlahovic in the January transfer window, but ultimately decided against a move.

We understand that Vlahovic remains on Arsenal’s shortlist and sources state he is ‘one of Mikel Arteta’s favourites’, alongside RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.

However, in a major development, Aston Villa, who are on the hunt for a new n0. 9 to replace Jhon Duran, have identified Vlahovic as a target for the summer.

Villa are yet to make any formal enquiries, but sources state that the interest in Vlahovic is ‘concrete’ and Unai Emery’s side are seriously considering an approach in the summer.

Arsenal have ramped up their interest in Belgian star Maxim De Cuyper and are in discussions over a potential summer deal, as per a report.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Arsenal are ready for a transformative summer window in which they will bolster numerous positions. There could be new arrivals at centre-forward, left wing, central midfield, left-back and goalkeeper.

Mikel Arteta will have plenty of money to spend too, as Arsenal did not sign anyone in January. That is despite strong links with several strikers including Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha.

It seems left-back is one area Arteta wants the Arsenal board to strengthen quickly, as the Gunners have been credited with firm interest in Club Brugge’s De Cuyper.

According to Italian outlet Tuttosport, Arsenal have entered negotiations with De Cuyper’s agent as they attempt to strike a contract agreement with the player. This comes after they were named as potential suitors for him back in August.

Arsenal are racing to try and forge a deal with the six-cap Belgium international before any other big club.

The report adds that AC Milan have also made contact with De Cuyper’s representative, while West Ham United and Juventus have scouted him on several occasions this term.

Arsenal want to get De Cuyper’s guarantee that he is open to joining them this summer. Once this has been sorted, they will enter official talks with Brugge to try and thrash out a deal.

The Belgian outfit are looking for €25million (£20.6m / $25.9m) to sell De Cuyper, a fee well within Arsenal’s reach.

De Cuyper established himself as an assist machine during the 2023-24 campaign. Indeed, he registered five goals and 15 assists for Brugge in all competitions.

Arsenal could be set for a busy summer in their quest to make it to the next level under manager Mikel Arteta. The quest for a new sporting director continues with a host of names touted over replacing Edu following the Brazilian’s exit.

The Gunners’ Premier League efforts are fading after dropped points in each of their last two has allowed for Liverpool to move 13 points clear. Injury troubles have plagued selection opportunities for the Spaniard this term with Bukayo Saka forced to undergo surgery while further attacking options in Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz were ruled out with season-ending injuries.

In recent weeks, the failure to sign a striker during the winter transfer window has been highlighted after Mikel Merino was deployed as a striker, following his match-winning double against Leicester City, against West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

The Mirror are reporting that there could be movement in North London in order to provide Arsenal with extra funds to enjoy a successful spell during the transfer window.

In their report, they claim that Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli could be used to balance the books to steer the Gunners clear of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules red line. A major shake-up has been dubbed with Jakub Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko linked with exits from the Emirates Stadium.

Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney are among the players who are out of contract with Raheem Sterling and Neto set to return to their respective clubs at the conclusion of their loans.

Arsenal have long-standing suitors with Benjamin Sesko and Alexander Isak after their respective rises to prominence. Sesko turned down an RB Leipzig exit last summer after attracting interest from a host of top European clubs, including the Gunners, while they face the task of breaking Newcastle United’s resolve for Isak, who has netted 19 Premier League goals this term.

Nico Williams, the Athletic Bilbao attacker who starred for Spain at last summer’s European Championships, has been suggested as nearing the top of their transfer targets as well as Bournemouth key-man Antonoine Semenyo. Anfield Watch reported earlier this month that Arsenal are interested in Diogo Jota.

Arsenal will reportedly have to offload one of their star players to fund any big-money deals this summer.

The Gunners are short of attacking options, with injuries to Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz leaving them toothless up front.

Arsenal have failed to score in their previous two Premier League matches, a 1-0 defeat to West Ham and a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest, leaving their title challenge in tatters.

Mikel Arteta’s side are now 13 points behind league leaders Liverpool, with their decision not to bring in a striker last summer or in Janaury appearing to have cost them.

The Gunners have been heavily linked with Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak to fix their No.9 woes.

But our colleagues at The Mirror report that Arsenal may have to sell either Trossard or Martinelli, who have both been targets for Saudi Pro League clubs.

Trossard, 30, has another year left on his deal and has reportedly had extensive contract talks, having been a huge hit since joining for £27million from Brighton in January 2023.

Martinell, meanwhile, has been out injured but the 23-year-old has struggled to recapture his best form this season. However, it is said that his performances have not put off potential suitors.

football.london understands that several candidates are being considered for the Gunners sporting director position, which will play a key role in transfers at the Emirates Stadium.

Current interim Jason Ayto is one name being consider having been in charge of the January transfer window. The Athletic reports that Dan Ashworth, Andrea Berta, Roberto Olabe, and Thiago Scuro are also potential options.

Whoever is chosen to permanently replace Edu will need to work closely with Arteta. The two former players have helped to transform Arsenal over several years with three successive title challengers under the Spaniard.