Another hattrick! 22yo Arsenal striker sold in summer can’t stop scoring | OneFootball

Former Arsenal academy striker Mika Biereth made it seven goals in seven games for AS Monaco with his second hat-trick for his new club on Saturday.

Photo via ASMonaco.com

22-year-old former Gunner Mika Biereth has only been with new club AS Monaco for a little over a month, but the striker already has seven goals for his new side.

Biereth boosted his tally on Saturday with a hat-trick against Nantes, helping Monaco to come from behind to win 7-1.

The team were significantly aided by an eighth-minute red card to Nicolas Cozza, when Nantes were already 1-0 up. But it took until the 44th minute for Biereth to draw Monaco level, getting ahead of his man and turning home from close range at the near post.

Photo via ASMonaco.com

By the 50th minute, Monaco were 3-1 up, and Biereth added his second goal in the 54th by capitalising on a loose ball in the penalty area to poke home with his right foot.

Biereth completed the hat-trick in the 64th minute with a penalty for 5-1, and the team went on to score two more late in the game to boost their goal difference.

With seven goals in Ligue 1, Biereth is already Monaco’s top scorer in the division. His one regret so far will be not scoring outside of the league fixtures, playing in the Coupe de France exit against Stade Reims and the first-leg Champions League play-off defeat to Benfica.

Photo via ASMonaco.com

Biereth did provide an assist against Reims, but he saw his penalty saved in the subsequent shootout to decide the tie. As for the Champions League tie, Monaco are 1-0 down going into Tuesday’s decider in Portugal.

Arsenal earned £4m from Biereth’s sale to Sturm Graz last summer, then another £2m from a sell-on clause when he was sold to Monaco for £11m in January.

Though £6m is more than the club have brought in for many of their other academy players in recent years, Mikel Arteta may regret not having the clinical striker in his squad right now.