Arsenal looking to do early business for summer transfer window with signing of French striker.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger and his scout Gilles Grimandi have met with AJ Auxerre striker Yaya Sanogo with a view to signing him on a free transfer this summer, according to a report in today’s L’Equipe newspaper and reported online at TodoMercadoWeb.
The France under-21 striker is a tall and physical player at 6’3″, and has great athleticism and goalscoring potential. This season he has scored eight times in five starts for Auxerre, with seven of those goals coming in his last three matches.
The 20 year-old’s contract also happens to expire this summer, and Wenger – always on the eye out for a quality player at a bargain price – is naturally interested.
With Arsenal not in action for ten days due to their next prospective Premier League opponents Everton taking part in the FA Cup, Wenger travelled with Grimandi to Paris to meet Sanogo, and discuss the possibility of the youngster moving to the Premier League with the Gunners.
Of course, AJ Auxerre are currently only in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football, so it is not yet known how well Sanogo would adapt to the more physical and faster pace of the game in England.
Given that he is just 20 though, he has plenty of time to learn his trade at Emirates Stadium.
Signing Sanogo would also not be much of a risk for Arsenal, as he would be available on a free transfer.
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