Arsenal have seen an abundance of talent grace the pitch at the Emirates over the years, though not every individual has been as memorable as the next.
Mikel Arteta’s current crop of talent are heading in an upward trajectory, however, the narrative of no smoke without fire comes to mind with reference to the Gunners’ redirection to success.
From the days of mundane mediocrity in Arsene Wenger’s final seasons, to Unai Emery’s derailing of the squad prior to his exit, to Arteta’s successive eighth-place Premier League finishes, Arsenal have struggled to get to where they are now over recent years.
While the north Londoners have found sanctuary in their attacking trio of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, and Bukayo Saka, the subject of forwards has not always been as well thought of at the Emirates.
Rewind to the 2014/15 campaign during Wenger’s reign, and Arsenal’s three identifiable centre-forwards came in the form of Danny Welbeck, Olivier Giroud, and Yaya Sanogo, a trio renowned for their sometimes questionable quality in front of goal.
Sanogo was a well-thought-of figure in north London, but for the wrong reasons, as his 'bambi-like' ways, as described by Tony Stenson in a Daily Star column, saw a feeling of sympathy rather than frustration adorn his time with the Gunners.
How much Arsenal signed Yaya Sanogo for
Back in 2013, Arsenal announced the signing of Sanogo at the age of 20 from French outfit Auxerre, arriving in north London as a free-agent following the expiration of his contract at the Ligue 2 side.
In his final season with Auxerre, the Frenchman scored an impressive 10 league goals in only 13 appearances, prompting Wenger to approach the prospect in the bid to welcome him to the Emirates.
At the point of his arrival at Arsenal, Wenger admitted that he looked forward to seeing his “promising development” unravel in England, however, this was not the case.
Fast-forward to ten years down the line, and Sanogo is yet to beat his league tally of 10 goals at Auxerre, with his goalscoring knack far from replicated during his time associated with the Premier League side.
Yaya Sanogo's statistics at Arsenal
From injury woes to performance struggles resulting in a lack of selection, Sanogo’s development came to a halt in the instance that he left Auxerre.
During his first season at Arsenal, the 20-year-old prospect quickly showed that there was lots of work to be done for him to make it at top level, as he failed to score or assist in any of his 14 senior appearances handed to him that term.
In the summer of 2014, the Frenchman made a statement in Arsenal’s pre-season fixture against Benfica at the Emirates, scoring four goals to show a snippet of his potential to the home crowd in north London.
The 2014/15 campaign was one of two halves for the forward, as he secured more game time for the first team, including additional appearances in the Champions League.
Aside from his pre-season heroics, the highlight of the Frenchman’s career with the Gunners was in a group stage match in the Champions League against Borussia Dortmund, where he stunned the Emirates by scoring against Jurgen Klopp’s side as part of Arsenal’s 2-0 win.
While it was a time to be celebrated by the hopeful striker, it marked his only goal for Wenger’s senior team in the entirety of his four-year stay.
Once dubbed a “gamble” by journalist Charles Watts, Sanogo spent a host of time during his association with the Gunners away from north London, as he embarked on varied loan spells in the bid to gain form and confidence.
Season
Club
Goals
2014/15
Crystal Palace
1
2015/16
Ajax
0
2015/16
Charlton Athletic
3
Figures via Transfermarkt
As highlighted in the table above, his time away did not work as hoped, as he continued to show his frailty in front of goal, a trait that is not ideal for a Premier League centre-forward.
Excluding his four goals for Arsenal’s U21s, Sanogo’s time in the capital was inconclusive, however, when reviewing the steps he took after departing, it is notable that a suitable conclusion to his claims as a striker is yet to be found.
What Yaya Sanogo did after leaving Arsenal
Arsenal called it quits with the forward in 2017, as he joined French outfit Toulouse in the summer to end his four-year association in north London.
At Toulouse, the former Gunners dud found some scoring form, netting 16 goals in a total of 72 appearances, with his highest scoring tally being the nine goals he scored across the 2017/18 campaign.
It was an improvement, but still a scoring frequency far from clinical, and after three years back in his homeland, his time was called as his contract expired and the 27-year-old was left without a club.
Year
Club
Appearances
Goals
2017-2020
Toulouse
72
16
July 2020-Feb 2021
No club
N/A
N/A
Feb 2021-July 2021
Huddersfield Town
9
0
July 2021-January 2023
No club
N/A
N/A
2023
FC Urartu
12
4
Figures via Transfermarkt
Alarmingly, it was seven months before Sanogo found a new home, as he was picked up by Huddersfield Town in February 2021, where he failed to score in nine appearances before being released in the summer.
Sadly, the Frenchman then spent a year-and-a-half without a place to play football, with his prayers being answered in January 2023 as he signed for Armenian side FC Urartu.
What Yaya Sanogo is doing now
Now 30 years old, the centre-forward is back to playing football after a disappointing stalemate in his once-promising career.
In 12 appearances for FC Urartu so far, the former France U21 starlet has scored scored four goals, and has started the 2023/24 campaign encouragingly with two goals in eight appearances in the league.
From the highs of playing and scoring among Europe’s elite, to playing in Armenia, Sanogo’s career started in such a promising fashion, but quickly ended as he departed his homeland at a young age.
Not many bad words can be said in regard to Sanogo from an Arsenal point of view, however, not many words of excellence can be shed either, and it is a shame that he was never able to forge a successful career in Europe's major leagues, or in England.
