Tribal Football

Sanogo recalls Arsenal frustrations: Sent out on-loan against my will

Paul Vegas
Sanogo recalls Arsenal frustrations: Sent out on-loan against my will
Sanogo recalls Arsenal frustrations: Sent out on-loan against my willAction Plus
Yaya Sanogo has recalled his time with Arsenal early in his career.

The striker is now playing in China with Qingdao Red Lions.

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On the Gunners, he told Foot Mercato: "At first, things went well. I'm doing the 2013 World Cup with the U20s. Everything is going very well on a collective and individual level. We won the World Cup with the golden generation, I finished second best scorer in the competition. Afterwards, I had four, five days of vacation. It was not much for the new environment I was arriving in.

"They wanted me quickly, I arrived the following week for the first match at the Emirates. In the process, I continue with an entry against Fulham, I play in the European Cup against Fenerbahçe. (Arsene) Wenger quickly shows me that he is counting on me. But I was tired. I herniated a disc, I was stopped for five, six months. Wenger knew that fatigue would play tricks on me.

"A small break of three weeks after the World Cup would have been beneficial. When I came back in January, I had a lot of playing time. It's going very well. We win the FA Cup. Where I gained the respect of the supporters' dressing room was when I entered that final (against Hull City). It was touching after the ups and downs I experienced. That was a bonus.

"I asked Wenger to have more playing time. I wanted to come back to France, but he didn't want to. Lille and Bordeaux were interested. When I went on loan to Ajax, that's where Lille wanted me. Hervé Renard wanted to associate me with Jordan Ayew. I'm going to Ajax a little against my will. You are a pro so you play the game. However, these were loans that I mastered because I knew where to go. Afterwards I arrive in Toulouse free of any contract (in 2017)."