Mika Biereth brings a double-digit million sum into the club coffers of Sturm Graz. The Danish striker will now be going on the offensive for Adi Hütter’s AS Monaco.
Two and a half years after Rasmus Höjlund, Sturm Graz is causing a stir with the transfer of the next young Danish striker. Mika Biereth, who only signed a permanent contract with Arsenal this summer, is moving to AS Monaco in the French Ligue 1 with immediate effect, where he will sign a contract until 2029. The club from the principality is said to be paying between 13 and 15 million euros for the 21-year-old, although not the entire transfer fee will go to Graz. Arsenal had once secured a resale fee, as has been reported in other media outlets recently.
Managing Director Sport Michael Parensen says: “There is no question that we did not make the decision about Mika Biereth’s departure easy for ourselves in the past few days. Ultimately, however, we chose the path that is right for both the club and the player. Mika has performed brilliantly in the fall, helped the team a lot with his goals and has naturally aroused interest. Of course, we would have liked to have continued with Mika in the spring, during which we would have continued to pursue big goals. However, it is also quite clear that SK Sturm’s strategy is to develop young players, take them to a new personal level and, in the end, of course, sell them at a profit – so we have once again succeeded in doing that.”
Tebbich: Transfer “confirmed chosen path”
Managing Director Thomas Tebbich explains: “As always in this situation, two hearts beat in my chest. On the one hand, there is of course pride in having made another transfer on a scale that has not been achievable for SK Sturm for a long time, but on the other hand, we are of course still pursuing very high goals and are losing an important player. Nevertheless, this transfer once again confirms that we are on the right track and motivates us to continue along this path.”
Mika Biereth himself says: ”The past year here in Graz could hardly have been more intense. The fantastic sporting success with the double, the unforgettable moments with the best fans in Austria or our games in the Champions League – I will never forget any of it. Thanks to my teammates, the coaches, the club officials and the fans, Sturm Graz will always be in my heart!”
Guided to Graz for five million euros
Biereth had only joined Sturm on loan from Arsenal in January 2024 and was signed permanently by the Grazers the following summer for just under five million euros. In the current season, the London-born Danish U-21 team player scored 14 goals in 25 competitive games, including two in the Champions League.
Monaco were forced to take action after Folarin Balogun’s injury (shoulder) and are improving with the signing of Biereth as a center forward. In Ligue 1, Adi Hütter’s team is fighting with Olympique Marseille, Lille, Lyon and Nice for second place behind title defender and league leader PSG. In the Champions League, the Monegasques are in mid-table with three wins, one draw and two defeats ahead of the final preliminary round matches against Aston Villa (h) and Inter Milan (a).