Nicolas Pepe admits he is frustrated and unhappy with life under Mikel Arteta

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Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe has made some stunning claims that he is growing frustrated with life under Mikel Arteta in a recent interview.

READ MORE: Man United have concerns over Mason Greenwood’s off-field lifestyle

Pepe, 25, joined Arsenal from Ligue 1 side Lille last summer in a move which cost the Gunners a whopping £72m, as per TransferMarkt.

Despite his huge price-tag, the Ivorian attacker was widely-regarded to be one of the most exciting talents in European football after being directly involved in 54 goals in 79 appearances in all competitions for Lille.

However, since his arrival in London, the 25-year-old has struggled to set the Premier League alight in the same fashion he did Ligue 1 and subsequently has come under fire from fans and pundits alike.

However, weighing in on his current situation under Gunners boss Arteta, the Ivorian wide-man has fired back some criticism of his own.

Speaking exclusively to French media outlet Canal Plus (as quoted by Mirror), Arsenal’s £72m man said: “My goal is to play more. Have a little more playing time.
“A player who plays is happy. For me, I would like to play a little more to find a smile again.

“He [Arteta] wants me to be 100 per cent focused during the 90 minutes of the match. Afterwards, I see during training that I will be a substitute the following weekend.

“But the coach speaks to me, he also has assistants who are there for that. But it is frustrating for any player to be on the bench.”

So far during the new 2020-21 Premier League season, Pepe has started just one of seven matches with his last start being his side’s 1-0 loss against Manchester City almost a month ago.

Should Pepe be starting more games? – Let us know in the comments.

 

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