According to La Voix du Nord, as cited by GFFN, Arsenal are joined by Manchester United, Napoli and Atletico Madrid in the pursuit of Nicolas Pepe. The LOSC Lille winger, along with Crystal Palace ace Wilfried Zaha has emerged as two of the club’s prime targets this summer.
The Gunners will be keen on signing any one of these wingers but which one of them fits the bill more perfectly for Unai Emery next season?
Pepe vs Zaha: Style of play
There is nothing really to distinguish between these two attackers as far as style of play is concerned. Both are explosive wingers who love to take on defenders and cause a myriad of problems to the opposition defence with their pace and trickery on the flanks.
Zaha, however, is much more versatile as he can feature on both flanks as well as in the number nine role. He has, in fact, operated from a central area of the pitch, at times, during his ongoing spell at Crystal Palace. As for Pepe, he is predominantly a right-winger. And even though the Ivorian can play as a centre forward, he doesn’t look as comfortable when featuring in an unnatural role.
Pepe vs Zaha: The stat comparison
Pepe has enjoyed a remarkable 2018/19 campaign so it perhaps wouldn’t be fair to compare them based on just one season. But, their numbers are surprisingly close, with the Lille star bettering Zaha in terms of chance creation by a slender margin. He had averaged 1.8 key passes per game compared to Zaha’s 1.6.
The ex-Man United prodigy, however, is a much better dribbler, having completed 3.4 successful dribbles per game last season. That is significantly better than Pepe’s tally of 2.7, which, in itself, is way above average for any attacker in top-flight European football.
As for productivity, Zaha was involved in 15 goals last season for a relegation-threatened Palace side that collectively netted 51 goals in the league last season. Pepe, in comparison, was involved in 33 of Lille’s 68 goals, helping Les Dogues finish the campaign in second place.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
Value for money
Both are players who have high valuation following a productive 2018/19 campaign. Lille reportedly wants up to £72 million for their star attacker this summer while Palace value Zaha at £80 million, which makes sense given his Premier League experience.
The 26-year-old is also the more consistent of the two, having played a crucial role for Palace ever since returning to Selhurst Park in 2015. Pepe, on the other hand, has enjoyed only two productive seasons in the French top flight, although he undoubtedly boasts immense potential.
But, it remains unclear whether or not he will be able to cope with the fast-paced nature of the Premier League. Hence, Zaha could be a better option for Arsenal, thanks to his PL experience. This is coupled with his skill that could enhance the Gunners’ attacking department.
