It’s been a testing summer window for Newcastle United.
Despite their return to the Champions League and a squad brimming with youthful potential, key attacking targets continue to slip through their fingers.
Bryan Mbeumo, João Pedro and Hugo Ekitike have all eluded the Magpies, while names like Benjamin Šeško remain out of reach for now.
Attention recently turned to Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, who left the Bees’ pre-season camp amid mounting speculation about his future and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Capable of playing across the front line and known for his pressing and intelligent movement, Wissa fits the profile of a player who could offer cover and competition for Alexander Isak, who remains a concern for Eddie Howe in terms of durability.
But Newcastle may have their sights set on a less polished alternative: a young forward who outscored Wissa and Sesko last season and could offer the clinical edge that’s been missing at key moments.
Newcastle looking at £40m striker
At 22, Mika Biereth might not be a household name in the Premier League just yet, but his numbers over the past 12 months have turned heads across Europe.
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Well, after that stunning form, Newcastle, Wolves, Aston Villa and Everton have all been quoted as having an interest, according to Caught Offside, as they plot their respective moves.
After spending the first half of the 2023/24 season at SK Sturm Graz, the former Arsenal academy product made a €13m move to Monaco in January but according to the report, he could go for £40m now.
Across both stints, the forward proved himself to be a “menace” in the words of The Athletic’s Alex Barker, racking up 27 goals in all competitions, including 24 in domestic leagues alone. That’s more than Wissa (20) and Sesko (21) managed during the same campaign.
What makes this even more striking is his underlying data: those 24 goals came from an expected goals tally of just 11.3.
That’s a dramatic overperformance, one reminiscent of Darwin Núñez’s final season at Benfica, and while such numbers often regress over time, they still signal elite-level finishing instincts.
How Wissa compares to Biereth
According to data from FBref, Biereth registered 1.66 shots on target per 90 minutes last season, with 60.5% of his total efforts hitting the target. By comparison, Wissa, a proven Premier League operator, managed 1.27 shots on target per 90, with an accuracy of just 45.6%.
Biereth’s sharpness in front of goal would complement Newcastle’s creative wingers, particularly Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, who regularly generate chances with their direct running and early deliveries into the box.
However, Biereth is not yet the finished article. His contribution to build-up play is minimal compared to Wissa’s. He averaged just 10.9 passes per 90 and registered fewer progressive carries (1.02) and progressive passes (1.75) than Wissa (1.85 and 2.07, respectively).
A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.
He also ranks poorly in aerial duels, winning just 33.3% of his battles despite standing 6 foot 2 – a surprising stat when compared to Wissa’s 45.5% success rate, which places the Brentford man in the 64th percentile despite his smaller frame.
This same data from FBref shows that Wissa’s pressing numbers are also superior. He makes more tackles per 90 (0.68 vs 0.36), including more in the final third (0.25 vs 0.15), and he completes take-ons at a far higher rate (30.6% vs just 9.1%). These metrics suggest Wissa is far more integrated into all phases of play, from defensive pressing to link-up.
Still, that may be exactly why Biereth would offer something different. Newcastle already have a multi-functional No.9 in Isak, and what they lack is a game-changing finisher who can be introduced in moments of chaos.
For £40m, Monaco may be willing to sell, especially after signing Ansu Fati and with other forwards like Breel Embolo and Folarin Balogun on their books.
Newcastle would be gambling on potential, but it’s the kind of gamble that could prove inspired, particularly in scenarios against deep blocks where space is at a premium.
If Newcastle want a ready-made Premier League performer, Wissa ticks every box. He presses, combines well, and contributes defensively. But if they’re looking for a match-winner, someone who can convert at a rate few strikers in Europe can match, Biereth deserves serious consideration.
His raw data suggests an elite finisher in the making, and with the right service and role, he could offer Newcastle something they haven’t had in years: a true penalty-box predator with the confidence and tools to decide games on his own.
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