"He is an extraordinary player" - Arsenal flop praised by current teammate after taking new role on the pitch

OGC Nice forward Gaetan Laborde has lauded Arsenal loanee Nicolas Pepe for bouncing back from a difficult patch and backed him to prove his mettle in a more central role.

Arsenal signed Pepe from Lille for a club-record £72 million fee in the summer of 2019. Despite his best efforts, the Ivorian winger failed to find his footing and slipped down the pecking order. Following three sub-par seasons, he was loaned out to OGC Nice last summer.

Pepe has emerged as an integral member of Lucien Favre’s lineup, featuring in 13 Ligue 1 games this term. The 27-year-old has played in a more central position following Laborde’s strike partner Andy Delort’s injury. His performances have impressed the Nice no. 24, who says that Pepe could operate in any attacking position on the pitch.

“He is coming out of a bit of a difficult period, so he needs a bit of time as well. Nicolas doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone. In terms of his quality, he is an extraordinary player,” Laborde told Get French Football News.

“I think it’s maybe a new role for him. He has to adapt to that. He is more of a winger, and now he’s playing more centrally. But with his qualities, he can play wherever and play well.”

Pepe has featured in 19 games for Nice this season, scoring six times and claiming an assist. Before leaving for the French outfit, Pepe played 112 games for Arsenal across competitions, scoring 27 times and providing 21 assists.

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Arsenal have Danilo on their list of potential midfield targets, informs Fabrizio Romano

Renowned Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said that the Gunners are keen to bolster their central midfield possession. According to the transfer guru, the north London club are keeping a close eye on Palmeiras’ 21-year-old midfielder Danilo. Arsenal can currently summon Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga in central midfield.

Romano told GiveMeSport:

“There are many names on the list including Danilo of Palmeiras, a player they have followed for a long time, but at the moment, there is still nothing advanced.”

In August, The Daily Mail claimed that Arsenal were looking to conclude Danilo’s transfer before the deadline day, on September 1. The deal, though, did not materialise. It will be interesting to see if they go all out for him once again when the transfer window opens on January 1.