Chelsea star wasn't only person to demand room swap after sharing with Pepe

27 July 2023 , 05:30

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Chelsea star wasn't only person to demand room swap after sharing with Pepe

Nicolas Pepe can't seem to catch a break.

Widely viewed as one of the Premier League's most expensive flops after failing to justify his £72million price tag at Arsenal, the Ivory Coast international can't even land himself a roommate, let alone a goal or some first-team minutes.

According to Pepe's international colleague Wilfried Zaha, the Gunners' outcast is the one team-mate many Ivorian national team players try to avoid when the time comes to share a room on away days. Zaha claimed that Pepe's snoring was so loud that ex-Chelsea star Salomon Kalou swapped to a quieter room while away with the Ivory Coast squad.

"Oh my days. Nicolas Pepe," Zaha told the OnTheJudy podcast. "Nicolas Pepe, I asked to leave the room. I went and asked to leave the room because he sounded like a motorbike. It was mad. Bro, it was crazy. I was like no, I can't. They let me move and share rooms with Kalou, Salomon Kalou. And he was like, 'Bro, I know. I moved myself'".

Zaha and Pepe won't be facing off with each other in the Premier League any time soon, with the former ending his near-two-decade connection with Crystal Palace to join Turkish giants Galatasaray following the end of his Eagles contract.

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While it was undoubtedly a painful goodbye to Selhurst Park, at least the confusion and speculation surrounding Zaha's club future has now been cleared up. The same cannot be said for Pepe, whose days at the Emirates are seemingly numbered.

Nicolas Pepe and Wilfred Zaha have faced off at club level and are colleagues for the Ivory Coast

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta recently discussed what the club plan to do with their expensive wide-forward, who is unlikely to see any football should he remain in north London beyond this summer.

"At the moment he is recovering from an injury which is why he’s not here," Arteta admitted when explaining why Pepe had not travelled with the rest of the squad for their pre-season tour of the United States.

"He had a spell on loan and obviously we wanted to get much more than we got from that loan spell. We have to see when we come back, understand what the plans are and make the right decision for him."

Pepe kept his cards equally close to his chest when pressed for comment on what he thinks his club future has in store for him.

"I will return to Arsenal. I was loaned without an option to buy so I have to go back to Arsenal,” Pepe said earlier this summer. "I don’t know [about my future] yet. When I get back, I’ll speak with the coach and everyone and see what everyone’s ideas are and then we’ll make a decision."

Josh O'Brien