Yaya Sanogo, the former Arsenal striker who achieved cult hero status for his unique ‘style of play’, has resurfaced in an unexpected location.
The 31-year-old has signed with Chinese club Qingdao Red Lions, playing in the nation’s second division, continuing his string of overseas adventures.
Sanogo was most recently playing for Armenian side FC Urartu but joins Qingdao Red Lions on a free transfer. The move marks his fourth international stint, and he’s signed with the club until the end of 2024.
Wearing the number 9 shirt, Sanogo signed for the Lions at the end of February and has yet to make his debut for them.
Throughout his career, Sanogo has scored 38 goals in total for Toulouse, Auxerre, Arsenal, Uratu, Palace, and Charlton, drawing blanks at Huddersfield and Ajax. Those goals, with nine assists, have come in 167 games.
Sanogo also scored 10 goals in 18 appearances for France’s u20s and u21s but, perhaps unsurprisingly, never received a full cap.
Yaya Sanogo reveals the dream moment that led to his Arsenal signing
Yaya Sanogo, the former Arsenal striker, opened up about his time at the club. He shared the excitement of being signed, the challenges he faced, and the lessons learned from working alongside some of football’s biggest stars.
Reflecting on the moment he realised Arsenal were keen to sign him, Sanogo painted a picture of disbelief and pure joy. “I remember it was after my seven goals in two games [for Auxerre],” he said. “I scored four goals one weekend, and then three goals the weekend after, and I received a call from the boss. Wenger called me on my phone. I didn’t have any English numbers on my phone and I said: ‘It is not possible he is calling me – maybe I need to sleep!'”
Despite practically no success in terms of goals scored, Sanogo views his time at Arsenal as a crucial learning experience. “My experience at Arsenal was good because I learned a lot from big players who were playing next to me, even in the dressing room, in the gym,” he said.
“I was the youngest player in the squad at 19. When you play for Auxerre there is pressure – but not high pressure like at Arsenal. A couple of months after leaving Auxerre, [Mesut] Ozil was next to me, [Theo] Walcott, [Bacary] Sagna.” Sanogo emphasised the rapid growth he underwent amidst such a star-studded squad.
Sanogo’s recollections show the profound impact Arsène Wenger and his teammates had on his early development. “All the players were playing for their national team, big players. I learned many things about these players, how they prepare for games, how they trained and how they talked. You have no choice but to learn very quickly.”