Nicolas Pepe wants to leave Arsenal this summer and has instructed his agent to find him a new club, with the Gunners more than happy to oblige.
This is according to Football.London, who reports that Pepe will assess his options in the summer and recently hired the services of a new agent as he looks to secure a move away.
In addition to this, an Arsenal source has told Football Insider that the club are exploring ways to get the winger off their wage bill, three years after his £72million arrival from Lille.
The 26-year-old is one of several senior first-team players who are seen as dispensable by Arsenal boss, Mikel Arteta, and offers are expected to be entertained for the Ivorian during the upcoming transfer window.
Many had a lot of hope for Pepe after his big-money move back in the summer of 2019 but it is a transfer that has simply not worked out. The winger has been overtaken by Bukayo Saka in the pecking order and there is no chance of the 26-year-old regaining that back.
The Ivory Coast international has played for Arsenal 79 times in the Premier League and has scored 16 goals with a further 8 assists. These are not the numbers the Gunners were expecting for the £72million they paid and are now willing to accept a loss of more than £40million to get him off their books reports Football Insider.
A loan deal could prove more likely, given Pepe’s recent form and the wages that form a major hurdle to a permanent deal. Many of the big clubs, who can pay the fees required, more than likely won’t be in the race for the winger and therefore a club just below that will be his most likely destination.
No clubs have been linked with a move for Pepe, as of now, but it is expected that a few will have an interest once the fees for a deal become known.