Mika Biereth claims ‘massive’ Arsenal star did one thing to help his development

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Arsenal starlet Mika Biereth has started to explode in front of goal whilst out on loan this season as he continues his development.

The striker is currently on loan at Austrian side Sturm Graz, where he appears to be following the path of Manchester United forward Rasmus Hojlund.

Biereth has scored 11 goals across his two loan spells in Scotland and Austria this season, and is developing into a physical but speedy centre-forward.

The 21-year-old is yet to make his Arsenal debut, but featured in the matchday squad several times, and has trained with the first team on a number of occasions.

He has now claimed that his experience of practising alongside Mikel Arteta’s main squad has massively benefitted his development.

Mika Biereth praises Gabriel Magalhaes for development at Arsenal

In an interview with Inews, Biereth claimed that being physically challenged by defender Gabriel Magalhaes in Arsenal training aided his development.

“It is a simple game but just [learning] how much goes into it and how much detail there is, I learned all of that at Arsenal,” he stated.

“The more you train with the first-team, the more used to it you get and those kinds of training sessions put me in good stead for playing with the 21s and then out on my loans.

“One of the first sessions I  was over there I was trying to hold the ball up and big Gabi [Magalhaes] just clattered through the back of me. It felt like a car crash! He is massive and I would have only been 18 at the time. Just things like that, the speed and the physicality of it [helped].”

How Arsenal training helps youngsters develop at the club

Arteta has included talented youngsters such as Ethan Nwaneri and Reuell Walters in training and the matchday squad on several occasions this season, but was criticised at times for failing to give them more minutes.

However, development is not aided just through match practice. A lot of academy stars are regularly called up to train with the first team, and this alone, can help their development in the early stages of their career.

Biereth’s comments highlight how playing against some of the Premier League’s best defenders would be helpful for a young striker like him to learn from, and trying to beat Gabriel in training will not have been easy.

However, if these duels helped Biereth develop physically, then they will have been worth the pain for the youngster, and the likes of Nwaneri will likely find a similar benefit.