Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe is not part of Mikel Arteta’s plans at the Emirates Stadium, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has told GIVEMESPORT.
The Gunners man is currently plying his trade on loan at Ligue 1 outfit Nice.
Arsenal transfer news – Nicolas Pepe
Having arrived in north London for a fee of £72m from Lille in 2019, expectations were high for Pepe, who signed under the management of Unai Emery.
However, he never hit his stride in an Arsenal shirt, and Emery was replaced by Arteta later that year, with the Spaniard unable to revolve his team around the 27-year-old winger.
As per The Sun, the Gunners are to allow seven players to leave in the upcoming transfer window, one of which includes club record-signing Pepe.
The same report says that despite the fact he has just one season remaining on his £140,000 per-week contract, he has not attracted the interest of any potential buyers.
Evening Standard journalist Simon Collings has recently told GIVEMESPORT that Arsenal have to find a way to get Pepe out of the door at the Emirates Stadium.
And Sheth believes Pepe won’t play for Arsenal again, heading into the summer transfer window.
What has Sheth said about Arsenal and Pepe?
Sheth told GIVEMESPORT: “Mikel Arteta is building his own team. He’s made his mind up, and Pepe isn’t part of those plans. I think if Arsenal can do a deal in the summer and sell the player, then they will be making a loss, no question about it, but I can’t personally see Pepe playing for Arsenal again.”
How has Pepe performed for Arsenal?
Given his transfer fee, Pepe has been an underwhelming signing for Arsenal, and it’s in the best interests of both parties to cut ties as soon as possible.
The 33-cap Ivory Coast international made 112 appearances for the Gunners, hitting the back of the net 27 times whilst producing 21 assists for his teammates, indicating that his goal production wasn’t as ineffective as could be interpreted.
The Mantes-la-Jolie-born star has re-discovered his spark at Nice and has just overcome a knee injury to regain his spot in the starting XI for the Ligue 1 outfit.
Arsenal will not come close to recouping the £72m spent on bringing Pepe to north London, but a small return of that transfer fee and extra space on the wage bill could be what Arteta needs to secure his transfer targets for the upcoming summer window.
