Bid MADE: Arsenal closing in on stunning €80m signing of target also eyed by Liverpool, Man Utd

Posted by

Arsenal are reportedly prepared to splash out around €80m on Lille star Nicolas Pepe and have put a five-year contract on the table for him.

The Gunners have been relatively quiet in the transfer window thus far, as aside from the arrival of Gabriel Martinelli, Dani Ceballos arrived on a season-long loan deal from Real Madrid while William Saliba was signed but sent back to Saint Etienne on loan for the year.

SEE MORE: Medical set: Arsenal agree deal to sign quality star who can solve defensive problems

In turn, Unai Emery is still waiting for a marquee signing with a long-term future in mind, but he may not have to wait for much longer based on the latest reports surrounding Pepe.

As per respected Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have made a new bid for the 24-year-old, and are willing to meet Lille’s demands of around €80m.

Further, it’s noted that the Gunners have put forward a contract offer and are pushing to wrap up what would be a sensational move for the Ligue 1 star.

However, it’s added that they still face an anxious wait as Napoli are still keen on signing Pepe, and although they appear to be behind in the race, there are still talks ongoing between the respective parties.

Nevertheless, it certainly sounds positive from an Arsenal perspective as Emery could well be on the verge of welcoming a big-money signing to the Emirates if the club can get the deal over the line.

Pepe made plenty of headlines last season after scoring 23 goals and providing 12 assists in 41 appearances for Lille, and that has certainly led to plenty of interest around Europe.

As noted by the Liverpool Echo, both the Merseyside giants and Man Utd had also been keen on the attacking ace, but it looks as though Arsenal are in pole position to bring him to England.

More Stories Nicolas Pepe