At a club of Arsenal’s size and reputation, there’s always a young talent for supporters to get excited about. With one of the most successful academies in Premier League history, Arsenal’s production line has included legends like Tony Adams, Ashley Cole, and Cesc Fabregas.
Recently, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri have emerged from Hale End, but success with young players — whether developed in-house or signed early — isn’t always guaranteed.
Which brings us to the interesting story of Yaya Sanogo.
Once upon a time, there was significant excitement surrounding Sanogo, who worked his way into Arsenal’s senior squad under the guidance of fellow Frenchman Arsène Wenger. But where is the former France U21 international with eight caps now?
Wenger’s High Praise for Sanogo in 2014
The Parisian striker made 20 appearances for Arsenal.
Hailing from Massy in the southern suburbs of Paris, Sanogo climbed through the youth system at AJ Auxerre from 2006 to 2011. Arsenal — a giant club often noted for their lack of a Champions League title — spotted and signed him.
Back when Wenger had attacking options like Olivier Giroud, Lukas Podolski, Mesut Özil, now-manager Mikel Arteta, and Theo Walcott, Sanogo arrived with hopes he would eventually lead the line.
Debuting professionally for Auxerre at 16, expectations were high. At Arsenal, he made his first competitive appearance against Fulham, subbing in for Podolski in the 81st minute.
Sanogo earned glowing praise from Wenger after Arsenal’s 5-1 Emirates Cup victory over Benfica. As Wenger told Sky Sports News:
“Football surprises not just you, but me too. Young players need opportunities — and they need them here.
Sanogo joined on a free last year, and we spent six months working hard with him. From January, he began improving. He had been injured for two years before coming to us. His goalscoring record was badly affected. You saw once he scored today, the goals started to flow. He has a bright future. He’s still just 21.”
However, things began to unravel in January 2015 when he was loaned to Crystal Palace. Further loans followed at Ajax and Charlton Athletic during his Arsenal tenure.
In total, Sanogo made just 20 appearances for Arsenal, scoring only once before moving on — though he’s far from forgotten by fans.
Where is Sanogo Now?
The Frenchman has played across six different countries.
Since departing Arsenal in 2017, Sanogo’s career has taken him around the world. He returned to France with Toulouse, where he managed 20 goal contributions in 72 matches.
Following his time at Toulouse, he stepped away from the game briefly before joining English side Huddersfield Town. However, his stay there was short-lived, and he again found himself without a club. His career trajectory has been unpredictable, to say the least.
In the 2023/24 season, now 32 years old, Sanogo surprisingly signed for Armenian club FC Urartu Yerevan after spending nearly two years unattached.
Later that year, he moved again — this time to China, joining Qingdao Red Lions and continuing his global football journey. From being a cult figure at Arsenal to becoming a seasoned journeyman, Sanogo’s career has been anything but conventional.
In an interview with The Sun last November, Sanogo reflected:
“I’m now a free agent, open to any opportunities. I enjoyed my time in China, but I’m keeping my options open. I’ve had several calls, mainly from European clubs, and things are looking positive.
I’m not setting any firm goals — I just want to enjoy my football. After everything I’ve been through in my career, that’s all I aim for now.”