Arsenal’s Hale End academy stands proud among the very best youth ranks that the Premier League crop has to offer, and has seen the likes of Bukayo Saka, Serge Gnabry, Emile Smith Rowe and Emiliano Martinez rise to prominence.
And with the senior side flourishing atop the Premier League table, also challenging for the Europa League, manager Mikel Arteta will rest easy knowing that the formative bunch holds so much promise.
The aforementioned pairing, Saka and Smith Rowe, bear evidence that the system appears to be working, and given the quality of the players awaiting ascension to the first-team, the cementation of Arsenal’s newfound position atop English football could be unwavering for years to come.
With the Gunners indeed flying, there will be little concern about the efficacy of the firing frontline any time soon, with Saka complemented by Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli up top, but the birth of a new youthful star could go a long way toward ensuring the outfit fires across all cylinders as Arteta seeks to craft a dynasty in north London.
One prospect who might find themselves in Arteta’s future plans is exciting young striker Mika Biereth.
Who is Mika Biereth?
The young attacker has impressed during the maiden phase of his career and now looks set to increase his opportunities, having been loaned out to Dutch outfit RKC Waalwijk last summer.
According to Transfermarkt, the 20-year-old has scored two goals from eight Eredivisie appearances this season, starting just twice due and grudgingly seeing his stint in the Netherlands blighted by injury, missing 16 matches.
This follows from initial steps with the club that saw him score 12 strikes and provide five assists from 26 games for the U21 outfit after signing his first professional club in 2021 upon his departure from Fulham, where the Gunners’ technical director Edu’s interest was piqued after a resounding entrance where Biereth plundered an incredible 25 goals and 15 assists from 37 outings for the Cottagers’ U18 side.
Hailed as “golden” by OptaJohan after scoring twice off the bench in Holland, Biereth will be hoping that he can rekindle his fitness and find a place at the periphery of Arsenal’s team next term.
Chris Wheatley formerly waxed lyrical over the star for his exploits at youth level, playing with an assurance that belied his inexperience; he said: “Mika Biereth is really impressing at youth level right now. Another goal last night but it's his mentality which has caught the eye of Mikel Arteta and his coaching staff.”
Should the Dane find a place in the north London outfit's squad, he could even rival Folarin Balogun for a spot, with the 21-year-old American-born phenom currently flourishing out on loan at French Ligue 1 outfit Stade Reims, where he has clinched an impressive 16 goals from 26 divisional appearances.
While Balogun's inclusion in the Arsenal squad in some capacity appears to be a formality, such is the blistering prowess of his predatory instinct, Biereth would be unlikely to find a place in the team ahead of the sensation.
That said, given the similarities in innate goal-scoring Arsenal would be wise to invest time in nurturing such a promising talent.
Doing so could just gift the club yet another special talent from their illustrious and ever-successful academy.