Yaya Sanogo has revealed that he was nearly forced to retire from football ahead of his move to Arsenal.

The Auxerre striker, 20, broke his leg twice in 2010 and has since admitted that the injury made him consider his professional future.

"At that time, I was all alone. You say to yourself: 'But I can't even run'. I said to myself it was finished. I had made a lot of sacrifices," the Daily Mail quotes him as saying.

"I started playing football at six, arrived at Auxerre at 13, and overnight I couldn't run any more. You turn in on yourself, and start to think about doing other jobs.

"One day I said to myself: 'I'm going to push as hard as I can. If it goes, it goes'."

Sanogo is expected to arrive at the Emirates Stadium before the start of the new Premier League campaign.