A former Arsenal player once tipped to follow in Thierry Henry’s footsteps is now living a completely different life, eight years after parting ways with the North London club.
Since Henry left Arsenal in 2007, the club has struggled to find a true successor to their legendary forward.
Robin van Persie successfully filled the role for a time, leading the attack with an impressive goal tally.
However, his departure to Manchester United left a void that Arsenal struggled to fill consistently.
Among those who tried were Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who enjoyed considerable success, and Alexandre Lacazette, who, despite being signed for a significant fee from Lyon, never quite lived up to the lofty expectations set for him.
Currently, Arsenal’s attacking lineup includes Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
However, both players are facing injury setbacks, and Jesus has been confirmed to have suffered an ACL injury, which could rule him out for the remainder of the season.
In 2013, Arsène Wenger believed he had discovered a promising talent who could develop into the club’s next great striker—Yaya Sanogo.
The French forward had caught the eye with a remarkable 10-goal haul in just 13 Ligue 2 appearances for Auxerre, leading to Arsenal offering him a long-term contract.
Sanogo was even among the nominees for the prestigious 2013 Golden Boy award, with Wenger expressing confidence in his potential.
Despite high hopes, Sanogo’s Arsenal career never truly took off.
He made his debut in August 2013 and featured in several important matches, but he struggled to make an impact.
In his first 14 appearances for the club, he failed to score a single goal.
His long-awaited breakthrough came in November 2014, when he netted his first and only goal for Arsenal in a 2-0 Champions League victory over Borussia Dortmund.
By January 2015, it became clear that Sanogo was not part of Arsenal’s long-term plans.
He was loaned to Crystal Palace in search of regular playing time, but his struggles continued.
He managed to score once in the FA Cup but failed to find the net in any of his 10 Premier League appearances.
Further loan spells followed, including brief stints with Ajax and Charlton Athletic, but none resulted in a major career breakthrough.
Arsenal released Sanogo in 2017, and he returned to France to play for Toulouse in Ligue 1.
His first season was relatively successful, as he scored nine goals in all competitions.
However, he was unable to maintain that form in the following two seasons.
In 2020, he made a short-lived move to Huddersfield Town in the Championship, but his time in England ended in disappointment.
After spending 18 months without a club, Sanogo resurfaced in 2023, signing for Urartu, a team competing in the Armenian Premier League.
He made an instant impact, scoring twice on his debut, but an unfortunate injury in his second game sidelined him for two months.
Although his playing time was limited, he contributed to Urartu’s title-winning campaign, though he did not meet the match requirement to receive a medal.
He also featured in the Armenian Super Cup, but his team finished on the losing side.
Sanogo continued his career in the 2023/24 season, scoring four goals for Urartu before moving to China to join Qingdao Red Lions, a second-tier club.
In his first season with the team, he found the net six times in 19 appearances, helping them fight against relegation.
Despite never having been to China before, Sanogo embraced the opportunity with enthusiasm.
He recalled a positive experience during a youth tournament in Asia back in 2009, which made his decision to move to China easier.
His manager at Qingdao, Sun Xinbo, spoke highly of him, highlighting his dedication and the vital role he plays in the club’s young squad.
Although his career has taken an unexpected path, Sanogo remains optimistic about his football journey, continuing to play the sport he loves in different corners of the world.
