It’s a question that has been on the lips of football fans ever since Yaya Sanogo’s induction in to English football. Just who is better? Luckily, I’ve done the legwork to find out who it is that comes out on top when the two go toe-to-toe.
1. Goals in a game
Yaya Sanogo wowed the Emirates stadium in pre-season when he pulled of his disingenuous mask of mediocrity and put 4 goals past Benfica in as little as 22 minutes; a quite remarkable feat. To my knowledge, Sergio Aguëro has never managed to score 4 goals in 22 minutes. And it’s hard to see him ever doing so. It is my belief that Sanogo simply dumbs down his performances in order to keep the universal balance steady. Against Benfica, he allowed himself to play to his full potential, but quickly reapplied his mask following suspicion regarding his performance. The world just isn’t ready for a superhuman footballer. Unfortunately, Yaya was born in to the wrong generation.
2. International Call-Ups
Sanogo has represented France at U16, U17, U19, U20 and U21 level. Over the course of those appearances, the Frenchman has managed to net over 30 times for his country. Now, I may be wrong, but I’m quite sure that Aguëro hasn’t once been called up to the France national team, at any level, let alone score 30+ goals in the process. Sergio’s time might come, but at the moment, Yaya has a commanding lead over him.
3. Intelligence
Sergio Aguëro will currently be earning hundreds of thousands of pounds a month playing for Manchester City. However, a footballers playing career does not last forever. So, what is Aguëro going to do when the money stops and the fame dissipates? I don’t think It’s something he’s properly considered.
Yaya, on the other hand, seems to be a real thinker. Cleverly deducing that his time on the pitch is limited, he has a back up plan. When it’s time for him to hang up his boots, he will return to France safe in the knowledge that a job as a postman will always be open to him. This type of long-term thinking is one of Yaya’s many, many strengths. At the moment, I can’t say the same for Aguëro.
4. Shirt numbers
Any really football fan knows that a top quality player is determined largely on the number of their shirt. The higher the number, the better the player. It’s football 101. At 16, Aguëro’s shirt number is quite high, and I respect him for that. He’s talented. But when it’s put in to context, it’s clear to see that, once again, Sanogo comes out on top. At 22, Yaya’s shirt number is a staggering 6 higher than that of Sergio’s. You may disagree with some of my earlier points proving that Sanogo is better than Aguëro, but the maths is all here for this one. It’s inarguable.
5. Sanogo’s price tag
Sergio Aguëro cost Manchester City a fee in the region of £38,000,000. Yaya Sanogo cost Arsenal nothing. It is clear that Sanogo is undeniably better than Aguëro and the small matter of his transfer fee serves as the cherry on top of an already substantially better tasting cake. It just isn’t possible that Aguëro is thirty-eight millions pounds better than Sanogo, meaning there is only one player here who is going to make it all the way and become a football legend.