I could have been Arsenal's new Thierry Henry - now I play 5000 miles away

Arsenal's journey over the past decade has been a rollercoaster, transitioning from challenging for Premier League titles to grappling with mid-table positions.

The era saw stars like Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla give way to players such as Joel Campbell and even Mikel Arteta in midfield. It's been an eventful period for the Gunners, coming full circle with a mix of memorable and forgotten faces, including the likes of Campbell. One name that might have slipped from memory though is now 31-year-old Yaya Sanogo.

More than 11 years have passed since his move from Auxerre, and after stints at six different clubs, he's still active in the game. Arsene Wenger was optimistic about Sanogo's prospects when he signed him, saying: "Sanogo is a good young signing for us.

"He has shown he has potential with his recent performances for Auxerre and also for the France Under-20 side. We are looking forward to Yaya joining us and continuing his promising development.

"He has a big future here, of course." Despite being tipped for success and even being nominated for the 2013 Golden Ball, Sanogo's time at Arsenal was marred by injuries.

He scored early on in his Champions League career for the club but then his presence dwindled. With only 20 appearances and a single goal for Arsenal, his tenure was far from what was expected.

Sanogo could not emulate the impact of Olivier Giroud, let alone reach the heights of Thierry Henry, despite the comparisons because of shared nationality and position. Now, Sanogo finds himself playing in China's second division, a far cry from the bright future once predicted for him at the Emirates Stadium.

After parting ways with Armenian top-tier club Urartu in February following his contract being mutually terminated, the forward has since been ploughing his trade with Qingdao Red Lions. His stint at Urartu saw him net six goals in 17 games, the third-highest tally he'd managed at a club, following spells at Toulouse in France, Crystal Palace on loan, and also Ajax and Huddersfield.

However, at Qingdao, he has managed the same tally over 20 appearances but sadly Sanogo's tale is a case of what might have been...

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