Even the most ardent Gooner can’t shy away from the fact that 22 year old striker Yaya Sanogo has been nothing short of a disaster since moving to the club in 2013 on a free transfer from Auxerre.
Sanogo has failed to score in 11 Premier League appearances for Arsenal, and has just one goal in 20 competitive matches. After his struggles in the first half of last season, Arsenal sent him on loan to Crystal Palace with a view for him to gain some much needed game time and confidence, away from the demands of a big club like Arsenal. However, he had a woeful time with the Eagles, failing to score in 10 league appearances and notching just a solitary goal in the FA Cup. The player’s struggles at Palace are summed up by the damning statistic of attempting just five shots in the league in 10 appearances, with not even one of them being on target.
With The Daily Express now reporting that Dutch powerhouse Ajax have agreed a loan deal with Arsenal for the much maligned striker , it seems Sanogo may soon be put out of his misery , with the Gunners expected to confirm the move on Friday.
The France Under-21 international has now received some much needed backing by his former Auxerre team-mate Sebastian Haller, who has earmarked the 22-year-old to shine in the Eredivisie.
Speaking to Dutch paper De Telegraaf, Haller was quoted as saying :
“Yaya is a complete striker. He can dribble, has a good shot and can score goals. That’s why I think he fits in well with Ajax and in the league. He has what is needed in this competition.”
These are the sort of words of encouragement that can do youngster a world of good. Despite being labelled a flop at the Emirates, Sanogo, still just 22, has all the time in the world to prove his doubters wrong.