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According to acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal could be willing to sell Nicolas Pepe at a discounted price this summer.
Pepe was brought in from Lille for a club-record £72 million in 2019 after he bagged 23 goals and 11 assists in the 2018-19 season for the French club. Now 26, Pepe has only shown glimpses of his quality for the Gunners, largely failing to live up to expectations.
Manager Mikel Arteta has given him ample opportunities, but the Cote d'Ivoire international might be better off playing for a team where he could start more often. Having missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification, Arsenal are expected to sell the winger at a discounted price in the summer.
According to Romano, Pepe might be better off playing for a manager who prefers to start him regularly. In his column for Caught Offside, he wrote:
"Of course, getting the same amount paid to buy him from Lille is almost impossible; Arsenal are conceding that the Ivory Coast international will have to be made available for a discount, and possibly quite a significant one. It’s a shame to see Pepe perform so poorly in the Premier League because I truly believe he has great quality – they paid all that money to Lille for a reason."
Pepe has made 112 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 27 goals and making 21 assists. His only achievement for the club came in the form of the 2020 FA Cup trophy.
Arsenal to ring in changes after failed Champions League qualification?
There is little doubt Mikel Arteta’s failure to bring Champions League football to the Emirates next season is a huge disappointment. Arsenal were in pole position to qualify, but a few torrid results put paid to their hopes of returning to the elite competition.
With three games to go, the Gunners led fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur by four points. A win would have sealed their Champions League return. However, they slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Spurs and a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle to cede fourth place as Spurs went two points ahead.
They finished with a flurry against Everton, winning 5-1, but Tottenham's win at Norwich meant the Gunners were unable to leapfrog Spurs to fourth place. Nevertheless, the Gunners have had a few positives from the season and will now look to make some new signings.
A goalscorer is an obvious need, while midfield reinforcements are also expected in the summer. Fans will obviously want a replacement to be signed for Pepe as well.
There is little doubt the Gunners have a lot to do to compete for the biggest titles with champions Manchester City and Liverpool.
