Arsenal open to sell Nicolas Pepe after Top Brass agrees club ‘overpaid’ for winger

Arsenal are reportedly willing to sell Nicolas Pepe if they receive a suitable offer for the winger. The Gunners signed Pepe at a club-record £ 72 million fee from Lille last year, but the 25-year-old’s performances have been rather disappointing at the club so far.

The Ivory Coast international scored 35 goals in 74 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille but has struggled to replicate that form at Arsenal. And the Daily Star reports that Mikel Arteta’s side is ready to hear offers for the player.

The report also indicates that top club officials have internally admitted that they overpaid for Pepe, having agreed to an initial £ 22 million deal and another £ 50 million in add-ons to lure him out of the French club in August 2019.

However, the club wants to avoid a situation similar to Mesut Ozil’s, and has told manager Mikel Arteta to handle the situation carefully, so as not to cause a drop in the player’s market value.

He has started just two Premier League games this season and is now suspended for three games following his red card during last weekend’s 0-0 draw with Leeds United. Pepe was sent off by a header from Leeds left-back Ezgjan Alioski.

Arteta called his actions “unacceptable” but gave the winger a chance to redeem himself against Molde in the Europa League on Thursday. Pepe scored the Gunners’ first goal and Arteta was pleased with his man.

The Arsenal manager said: “I am very happy. After being disappointed by something negative, you want to see a reaction and I could see from the first minute with his body language that he was ready to act.”

Arteta concluded: “I think he had a great performance, he scored a goal and he could have scored another or two. He created some good moments in the game and he worked very hard for the team, so I like him a lot, I’m happy.” with that.”

Pepe will definitely have more opportunities to prove himself before Arsenal make a concrete decision about his future at the club.