‘I want to come now and help Arsenal win champions league’: Arsenal FLOP who left Emirates for nothing is now planning on returning back to EMIRATES next season
Arsenal star is set to return to the club at the end of this season following his loan spell in France at OGC Nice.
The Gunners paid a club-record £72 million fee in the summer of 2019 to sign Pepe (BBC). His arrival raised the excitement level through the roof at the Emirates, but things just haven’t worked out.
Pepe will enter the final year of his contract this summer, and Arsenal have a decision to make.
Nicolas Pepe is unlikely to play for Arsenal again
A lot was expected of Nicolas Pepe when he joined Arsenal.
The ‘phenomenal‘ Ivorian, along with Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, was expected to fire the Gunners to glory, but things just didn’t work out for one reason or another.
Unai Emery was shown the door and Mikel Arteta came in. Pepe just didn’t fit into Arteta’s plans and even though he performed well on occasion, he didn’t get enough starts to have a big enough impact.
Arsenal decided to let him go out on loan to Nice last summer, and Pepe has had his struggles there too. He has scored just eight goals all campaign, and it doesn’t look like that they’ll sign him on a permanent deal.
The Telegraph report that Arsenal don’t want him either. It has been regarded as ‘unlikely’ that Pepe will ever play another minute for the Gunners, who will try and sell him as early as possible this summer.
Pepe will have just a year left on his contract in July.
Our View:
Pepe has been described as a flop by many, but that’s a harsh assessment.
Yes, he didn’t do anywhere near enough to justify the price Arsenal paid for him, but his performances for the Gunners were so much better when compared to the likes of Antony and Richarlison, who also cost a fortune.
A move away this summer on a permanent deal is the best thing for all parties, but Arsenal will struggle to find buyers for Pepe. It’s unlikely that any club will pay a lot of money for him.
Arsenal may well be forced to offload him by terminating his contract, just like they’ve done with many other players over the last two or three years.
