Sheffield Wednesday interested in highly-rated Arsenal striker - would require SPL loan tear-up

The Owls have had a busy start to the window, bringing two in with two departing so far. Manager Danny Röhl has made no secret of his desire to do more work and tweak areas of the squad closer to his ideals, with the forward line an area he'd like to add to beyond the arrival of Ike Ugbo last week.

The Star understands that 20-year-old Arsenal forward Mika Biereth is a name the club are interested in bringing to Hillsborough for the second half of the season. Rated as one of the 'ones to watch' at The Emirates, Biereth is on loan at Scottish Premiership side Motherwell and having overcome a knee niggle has tallied an impressive 11 goal involvements (5G/6A) in his 14 league appearances for the top tier strugglers. The Steelmen resume their programme with a Scottish Cup fourth round clash with Alloa Athletic this weekend.

As was the case with their two January additions so far - Ugbo was on loan from Troyes at Cardiff City while Brighton & Hove Albion goalkeeper James Beadle was with Oxford United - Wednesday would require a termination of Biereth's loan deal at Fir Park and for Arsenal to decide Wednesday is the best possible stage for the development of the Denmark under-21 youngster amid rival interest from elsewhere in the Championship.

A skilled number nine whose playing style has been described to The Star as 'direct and goal-minded', Biereth recently spent time training with the Arsenal first team during Scottish football's winter break. Though he is yet to make his Gunners debut at senior level, he has made the bench on a number of occasions and spent time out on loan in the Dutch top tier last season with RKC Waalwijk.

London-born to a Danish-German father and a Bosnian mother, Biereth came through the youth system at Fulham, earning nationwide plaudits on his way to an under-18s career of 40 goal involvements (25G/15A) in 37 appearances for the Craven Cottage youngsters. Arsenal saw enough in him to steal him away from their London rivals in July 2021 when he signed for the club on a pro deal. He has 12 goals and five assists in 26 appearances for the Gunners' under-23 side.