Inside Arsenal’s ‘mistake of the decade’ as Ian Wright lifts lid on strategy | Football | Sport

Arsenal legend Ian Wright remains in touch with former Gunners striker Mika Biereth after criticising the club’s decision to offload him. The young marksman spent five years with Arsenal’s senior squad before departing for Sturm Graz in the summer of 2024. He bagged 14 goals during the opening half of the season before securing a switch to French outfit Monaco.

Earlier this year, Wright revealed that he offered Biereth guidance concerning a potential departure from North London. Speaking to Get French Football News, the Arsenal icon said: “I have to always give Mika the credit for proactively reaching out to me years ago. He was looking for advice on where he was at with his game, with the club and what he should do next.

“I will always give him credit for that because it’s very easy to not make yourself vulnerable to someone else. After he contacted me, we met at my local pub and we have stayed in touch since.

“I’m incredibly proud of him, it’s an amazing record so far and long may it continue. He’s also contributing to the team as a whole.”

When questioned whether Arsenal had made a mistake in allowing Biereth to leave, he added: “If I’m honest, it must’ve been something with the plans Arsenal had. Mika should’ve been in and around it at the moment.

“One of our chats early on was about him showing himself in the pre-season for Arsenal and giving it his best go. But he had the bravery to go to Scotland, then Austria and now France and that is what shows he wants to be the best.

“He has to be playing to prove that. His record speaks for itself. It’s disappointing for Arsenal but on a human level, I’m delighted for him.”

Wright isn’t the only one to have slammed Arsenal’s decision to offload Biereth either. Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker was equally damning, particularly regarding the fact they only received £4million.

Speaking to SpilXperten, Parker said: “I think it was a crazy decision by Arsenal to sell Mika Biereth, and they got almost no money for him.”

Of course we don’t know how he would have developed if he had stayed instead of going to Sturm Graz. But based on how he is playing at Monaco right now, it seems like the mistake of the decade not to keep him.”