Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice are reportedly closing in on signing Nicolas Pepe, with a loan deal set to be agreed with Arsenal for the 27-year-old attacker.
According to Rudy Galetti, Nicolas Pepe’s move to OGC Nice is inching closer to completion. The 27-year-old winger has no future at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta ready to allow the attacker to depart before the transfer deadline.
Nicolas Pepe may look back at Arsenal’s record outlay on acquiring him from Lille and think about where things went wrong. The £72 million the Gunners paid seemed like a solid investment at the time, but the Ivory Coast international has steadily grown out of Mikel Arteta’s ideas.
Pepe last started a Premier League game in October 2021 against Crystal Palace at the Emirates. Since that clash, Arteta has consistently preferred to deploy Bukayo Saka on the right wing, with the 20-year-old cementing his place there for Arsenal.
Pepe would have grown frustrated with the lack of chances of making it back into the starting lineup and was not even in the squad when Arsenal beat Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. His absence fueled speculation about his future at Arsenal, with the Gunners receiving interest from several clubs.
?⏳ Nicolas #Pepe from #Arsenal to #OGCNice is just a matter of time. ?
?️✅ Under discussion the few last details before the DONE DEAL. ?⚽️#AFC #Transfers #Calciomercato pic.twitter.com/v1mBNZifQ4
— Rudy Galetti (@RudyGaletti) August 21, 2022
There was admiration from a few Premier League outfits, while he also garnered interest from Spanish clubs. But it seems Pepe’s destination is a route back to France. In Ligue 1, Pepe has tremendous memories of playing for Lille, as he helped Les Dogues win the domestic title.
The Arsenal attacker’s qualities have not gone unnoticed in France, with OGC Nice making a loan offer to sign the 27-year-old attacker. While there are still no details regarding the deal’s particulars, many Arsenal fans would like to know if the request contains a buy option.
Things could become more apparent when the Ivorian moves across the channel and joins Nice. Rudy Galetti claims the transfer is closer than ever, with the Arsenal attacker likely to move back to Ligue 1 imminently. He suggests that the deal’s final details are currently under discussion before the move can be confirmed.
Arsenal will be hoping Pepe has a good season in France, as they will have one more chance to recoup some money from his sale next summer. A purchase option could also be included in the deal with Nice, although those details are yet to emerge.
The Gunners are likely to remain in the market and chase a new wide attacker as a replacement for Pepe. Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Pedro Neto is linked alongside Cody Gakpo of PSV Eindhoven and Villarreal’s Yeremy Pino as potential targets to be brought in before the summer transfer window shuts down.
