Nicolas Pepe faces another Arsenal humiliation after flopping since £72m move

01 September 2023 , 12:55

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Mikel Arteta is determined to release Nicolas Pepe (Image: Getty Images)

Nicolas Pepe could yet suffer one final humiliation at Arsenal with the club seemingly desperate to offload him in the summer transfer window.

The Ivory Coast winger was expected to be part of a deadline day exodus at the Emirates, having previously been linked with moves to Turkey and Saudi Arabia. But whilst the transfer window in both those countries closes later than in England, interest in the star has seemingly cooled with Mikel Arteta struggling to sell the player.

Pepe, 28, spent last season on loan at French side Nice. He made 28 club appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 club, scoring eight times, but they decided not to pursue a permanent move at the end of the campaign.

Upon returning to north London though, it was made clear he was surplus to requirements under Arteta. The former Lille man, who joined for £72million in 2019, was left at home as the squad embarked on their pre-season tour of the US.

And now Arteta is considering a drastic measure just to get him off the wage bill. According to a report in the Daily Mail, the club are now on the verge terminating Pepe's contract, rather than continue to seek a fee or loan deal.

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Pepe's deal still has one year to run, meaning he would be eligible to leave next summer for free. But the Spanish boss would rather trim his squad with immediate effect, amid a lack of interest in the 37-cap international.

The player did contribute to a successful campaign after joining ahead of 2019/20, starting in the FA Cup final as Arteta's side beat Chelsea. He proceeded to make 127 appearances for the club in three years, scoring 27 times in all competitions.

Nicolas Pepe spent last season on loan at Nice (Getty Images)

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He he was regularly confined to the bench in 2021/22, leading to him being sent to Nice. In his absence, the form of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli made a return to the first-team fold unlikely.

And he isn't the only player facing an imminent departure from Arsenal. After Nuno Tavares joined Nottingham Forest on loan on Friday morning, the future of the likes of Cedric Soares and Rob Holding are also set to be decided.

Fraser Watson