According to a recent report by Le10 Sport, Arsenal are still hoping to secure the services of Nicolas Pepe from LOSC Lille. However, the same source has also revealed that the Gunners will face stiff competition from Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich in pursuit of the Ligue 1 winger.
In an interview with French news outlet Le Voix du Nord back in January, the Lille talent stated his intentions to leave next summer and said, “For me, that’s for sure. As the president has already said, my desire is to finish the season at Lille.
“I am under contract until 2022. My idea is to end this season in Lille and then, why not, leave for somewhere in Europe. It would be beautiful.”
Going by his previous comments, it is evident that the Ivorian prospect will likely play for another club next season. However, with so many top teams competing for his signature, it is anyone’s guess on which club ends up acquiring him at the end of this campaign.
Pepe has lit up the Ligue 1 with some of his majestic displays over the past few months. He has managed to establish himself in the Lille first-team and is only getting better with each game. The former SCO Angers starlet has featured in 28 matches for Lille this term, finding the back of the net on 17 occasions while creating 11 assists across all competitions.
The Ligue 1 attacker has a fantastic turn of pace and close control of the ball which helps him dribble past his marker with minimal effort down the wide areas. The Ivorian has also made a habit of scoring or assisting goals as evidenced by his dazzling record this season. Pepe also has an eye for a decisive pass in the final third which makes him such as invaluable asset for Lille.
The Ivory Coast sensation’s arrival will undoubtedly bolster Emery’s attacking options at the Emirates Stadium. The Gunners have already got some talented wingers at the North London club such as Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ainsley Maitland-Niles. However, other than Iwobi, all of the other players are makeshift wingers so Pepe’s potential acquisition will add some more depth to Emery’s squad.
The Premier League heavyweights will do well to fend off strong interest from other clubs in order to land Pepe this summer. However, the jury is still out on whether he will be able to manage the expectations of playing for a big club like Arsenal. For us, this move looks a bit dicey.
