Yaya Sango, who has been signed by Arsenal (although the club have not yet announced the signing) has been speaking to France Football about his decision to snub an offer from Lille and an extended contract with Auxerre to sign for the North London club.
Sanogo said
‘I was impressed. He [Wenger] told me I’d get my chance, reassured me over injury and said he had been watching me for several years’
The decision to sign for Arsenal was made after a meeting with Arsene Wenger in Paris and speaking to Arsenal’s current French players, Bacary Sagna, Francis Coquelin and Abou Diaby.
What Diaby had to say would surely have swayed things given the injuries the midfielder has suffered since arriving at the club and being on the receiving end of an horrendous tackle by Dan Smith just a few months after his debut.
Sanogo has struggled with a knee injury and at one point considered giving up football, telling his mum that he wanted to go and work in the post office.
Back at the start of June, Sanogo had also said
“I longed to go to a big club. If I had not been injured at 18, I might already be gone. I always wanted to play in England. And so, at 20 years of age, I do not know if this train will come again.
“Some, it is true, have been burned going there. But many have succeeded. I lost a lot of time and I hope to catch up in coming the years.”
