A former Arsenal footballer, once seen as a potential successor to Thierry Henry, has taken a vastly different path eight years after leaving the club. Many strikers have attempted to replicate Henry’s influence since his departure in 2007, with varying degrees of success. Robin van Persie became Arsenal’s primary forward and later moved to Manchester United. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a strong impact, but Alexandre Lacazette, despite his high-profile transfer from Lyon, did not quite reach the expected heights.
Currently, Arsenal relies on Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus for attacking duties, but injuries have disrupted their season. Jesus has suffered an ACL injury, while Havertz’s return remains uncertain. This ongoing struggle for a consistent goal scorer highlights the difficulty Arsenal has faced in replacing Henry’s legacy over the years.
In 2013, Arsène Wenger saw promise in a young French striker, Yaya Sanogo. The forward had caught attention with a standout season at Auxerre, scoring ten goals in thirteen Ligue 2 matches. Arsenal secured him on a long-term deal, and Sanogo was even nominated for the prestigious Golden Boy award that same year. Wenger had high hopes for him, believing he could develop into a key player for the club.
However, Sanogo’s time at Arsenal did not unfold as expected. He made his debut in August 2013 but struggled to make an impact, failing to score in his first fourteen appearances. His only goal for the club came in November 2014, during a Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, in which Arsenal won 2-0. This moment of success, however, remained an isolated highlight in an otherwise disappointing spell.
By early 2015, Sanogo’s Arsenal career had effectively ended, and he was loaned to Crystal Palace. He managed to score once in the FA Cup but failed to register a league goal in ten appearances. Subsequent loan spells at Ajax and Charlton followed, but he continued to struggle for consistency. Eventually, Arsenal released him in the summer of 2017, prompting a return to France with Toulouse.
Sanogo found more success at Toulouse in his first season, scoring nine goals across all competitions. However, his form dipped over the next two seasons, and his career took another downward turn when he joined Huddersfield Town for the 2020/21 season. His time in England proved unremarkable, leading to another period of uncertainty in his professional journey.
After an 18-month absence from football, Sanogo returned to the game in 2023 by signing with Urartu in the Armenian Premier League. His debut was impressive, featuring two goals, but an injury in his second match sidelined him for two months. Although he was part of the squad that won the Armenian Premier League title, he did not play enough games to earn a medal.
Sanogo also featured in the Armenian Super Cup but ended up on the losing side. During the 2023/24 season, he managed to score four goals before making another move, this time to China’s second-tier club, Qingdao Red Lions. Despite the team’s struggles against relegation, he contributed six goals in nineteen appearances.
Reflecting on his move to China, Sanogo remained optimistic, noting that he had fond memories of playing in Asia during a 2009 tournament. Qingdao’s manager, Sun Xinbo, praised Sanogo’s professionalism and emphasized his importance to the team’s young squad. The club has placed high expectations on him, hoping he can bring both experience and leadership to their ranks.
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