Arsenal has already lost forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the January transfer window and with Alexandre Lacazette’s contract set to expire next month, it is a given that Mikel Arteta will be looking to transform his frontline.
Despite losing Aubameyang to Barcelona six months ago and striking duo Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah both heading for free agency, the Gunners appear adamant they’re going to offload wide-attacker Nicolas Pepe.
That’s according to a recent report by French news outlet Foot Mercato, who claim that the Gunners have offered their £72m-signing to Ligue 1 giants PSG.
Since signing from Lille in 2019 for the eye-watering amount, the Ivorian attacker has only managed 16 goals in 80 appearances in the English Premier League.
Speaking at the time of his arrival, former boss Unai Emery, who spoke to the club’s official website, said: “Nicolas is a highly-rated and talented winger who was wanted by many of the top teams in Europe. Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I’m delighted he’s joining.
“Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I’m delighted he’s joining.
“He will add pace, power and creativity, with the aim of bringing more goals to our team.”
However, despite Emery’s early glowing assessment, Pepe has remained way off the kind of form that saw him become the club’s most expensive ever player – consequently, the African’s future is now very much up in the air.
This season has seen Pepe endure his worst ever campaign. The African has managed to score more goals for the Ivory Coast (4) than his domestic club (3).
Given what has been a poor three years in the country’s capital, Arsenal’s apparent eagerness to offload Pepe is certainly understandable and a decision that fans will probably back.