Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that there is no reason why Yaya Sanogo cannot match the impact made by Nicolas Anelka in the early stages of his career.

Anelka played a key role in the Gunners side that won the double in 1998, and Wenger believes that Sanogo can be just as important for the club.

The Gunners boss told reporters: "When I started to play Anelka, everybody said: 'Why are you starting with Anelka, why not buy a striker?'

"We won a championship with him. If we feel they are ready, then they play.

"There's a potential there. Sanogo is world champion of the Under-20s, if he was an English centre-forward and was world champion of the Under-20s, you would not ask me these questions. It's as simple as that."

Sanogo joined Arsenal as a free agent after his contract with Auxerre expired last summer.