Fichajes have reported that Arsenal are prepared to let go of Nicolas Pepe in the January transfer window.
Reports suggest that Arsenal and Mikel Arteta have not seen enough from Nicalos Pepe and have been left disappointed with his performances. Following which Arsenal are now open to selling Nicolas Pepe in the winter transfer window.
Pepe joined Arsenal from LOSC Lille in 2019 for a club-record fee of €80 million. However, he has failed to match the form that saw Arsenal move for the winger in the first place. While Arsenal are keen to recoup some of the €80 million they spend on Nicolas in 2019.
Pepe was signed to add another attacking dimension to Arsenal’s attack and be the partner in crime with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. But he has struggled to adapt to the Premier League. He has not shown the confidence in the final third of the field that he showed at Lille,while Ivorian winger has looked short on confidence.
Pepe only scored 5 league goals in his debut campaign in the Premier League. He improved this tally to ten goals in the league the following season. While the Ivorian winger has scored 25 goals and set up a further 18 goals for his teammates in 98 appearances for Arsenal (stats via Transfermarkt). But it is not quite the numbers you expect from an €80 million man.
With the rise of Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka in the Arsenal starting lineup. Pepe has seen his opportunities limited. While this season he has fallen even further down the pecking order behind Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, and even Gabriel Martinelli.
Time for Nicolas Pepe to look for a move away from Arsenal?
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has overseen a complete transformation of the starting lineup. Mikel Arteta has trusted the young academy graduates, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka. While the young English duo have repaid their manager’s trust by constantly performing on the field.
Nicolas Pepe’s natural game is based heavily on trickery and time on the ball. But with the more physical nature of the Premier League, this has resulted in Pepe losing a lot of confidence and not showing his qualities on the ball.
At 26 years of age Pepe still has many seasons ahead of him and a move away from the Emirates seems like the best option for the winger to find his feet again. While Arsenal can use the money to reinvest into the squad. A move away in the January transfer window seems the best option for both Arsenal and Pepe.
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