It must be said that Just Arsenal readers have been suggesting that the big gangly striker Yaya Sanogo should go out on loan, if only to give Lukas Podolski and Joel Campbell a better chance to get some more game time on the pitch, now it seems that we are gong to get our wish.
The French U21 international has had mixed fortunes since joining the Gunners from Auxerre in the summer of 2013, starting off with one appearance then missing the next six months with a back injury. He finished the season strongly with 4 games plus 10 subs appearances for the first team but failed to hit the back of the net for Arsenal.
He started this campaign in explosive style with FOUR goals in the Emirates Cup game against Benfica, but the promise was not fulfilled again, but at least he got his first goal in Arsenal’s Champions League win over Dortmund. He is still awaiting his first League goal for us, but has strangely got 5 goals in 8 appearances for the French U21 side.
Now that Olivier Giroud has returned from injury and with Danny Welbeck in reasonable form it is unlikely that Sanogo will get much gametime for the Gunners for the rest of the season, so it makes sense that, according to the BBC, Arsene Wenger will be sending him out to another Premier League club in the hope that he can gain some much needed first team football.
We all know that Arsenal are short of players to put on the pitch, but the forward positions are the one place we have a surfeit of bodies, so I can only see this move as being good for Arsenal in the long run. Either Sanogo will come good and start scoring freely or he will show promise and put himself in the frame to be sold next summer.
Aston Villa, Sunderland and Crystal Palace have been touted as possible destinations, but I honestly don’t care where he goes as long as he gets some opportunities to actually play regularly…