Arsenal flop Sanogo shows stunned reaction to Wenger’s phone call after ‘two troubled years’ at Auxerre

Former Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo has revealed the shock phone call he received from Arsene Wenger before joining the north London giants.

30-year-old Sanogo signed for the Auxerre-based Gunners on a free transfer in 2013 after his contract with the Ligue 2 side expired.

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Arsenal’s interest stemmed from a week in which the striker scored seven goals in two games – four against Stade Lavollais and a hat-trick against Tours FC.

It didn’t work out for Sanogo at the Emirates as he only played 20 times and scored one goal under Wenger before leaving for Toulouse in 2017.

Nevertheless, he looks back fondly on his first conversation with the French coaching icon.

It came after his remarkable scoring week when Sanogo was in complete disbelief that Wenger called him – just months after returning from a lengthy injury layoff.

Speaking to Masterclass Media, he said: “Despite all the problems I had, the phone didn’t ring for two years. But after my seven goals in two games, Arsene Wenger calls me.

“I had a little Motorola, I promise you I had this phone. I was at home with my Macbook and saw +44. I thought, ‘What is this number?’ So I don’t answer, but he called again.

“I say ‘Hello’. ‘Hello, this is Arsene Wenger’. I thought it was a joke.

“I say yes?’ “It’s Yaya Sanogo?” I say “yes” and I don’t speak.

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“He says to me: ‘Everyone is talking about you, seven goals in a week, not many players have done it’. And I said to him: ‘Yes, thank you, that’s nice’. But I didn’t know what to say should.

“He said to me, ‘I see you’re shy. I’m taking my plane and I want to meet you. I don’t know if you care, I know there are a lot of clubs that want you, especially after the week you’ve had… Would you be interested in meeting me in Paris?’

“I said ‘yes’ but I don’t know. I find it amazing. He asked me when it would be okay to come to Paris and he hung up.

“I’m like, ‘Wait, wait, was it really Wenger?’ I struggled for two years, six, seven games [later], Wenger calls me. I’ll sign right away.”

Sanogo, who received the FA Cup winners’ medal in 2014, enjoyed disappointing loan spells at Crystal Palace, Ajax and Charlton before leaving Arsenal for Toulouse for good.

He scored 16 times in 72 games for the Ligue 1 side over a three-year period.

He then joined Championship Club Huddersfield in 2021 but only played nine games and failed to find the back of the net.

After leaving Huddersfield, he spent 18 months without a club, eventually signing with Armenian first division side Urartu in January.

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