Arsenal Must do Everything they Can to Land Nicolas Pepe

Nicolas Pepe will be available for a transfer this summer, and even if Arsenal have a minimal budget, they must do all they can to get the Ivorian in the red-and-white adidas kit.

Arsenal are one of the only big clubs in world football that does not possess a world-class winger, and you could even argue that they don’t even have a natural winger in their entire squad! It’s a massive hole in the team that becomes extremely evident when they play.

While most sides have their wingers running to the byline and taking players on, Arsenal entrust their fullbacks with these duties instead, because they have no pacey 1v1 winger in the squad. With Nicolas Pepe reportedly available in the summer though, Arsenal have a fantastic opportunity to take a step toward catching up with their rivals.

Nicolas Pepe, an Ivorian international despite being born and raised in France, has lit up Ligue 1 this season seemingly out of nowhere. Pepe started his career as a centre-forward, but was largely disappointing. It took a move to the flanks last season to bring the best out of him, and it seems that he will not be looking back.

16 goals and 10 assists in 25 league matches is a world-class return, and it has earned him interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world, including PSG, Bayern, Barcelona, Manchester United, and of course Arsenal.

Arsenal have a long-standing history and presence amongst French players, and although Nicolas Pepe is an Ivorian international, he will have been very aware of Arsenal’s French-connection growing up. This has always given Arsenal the edge when it comes to signing French players, but now that Arsene Wenger is no longer at the club, it may prove to be more difficult, although it didn’t for Guendouzi.

Nicolas Pepe would be a welcomed addition to Arsenal, who are lacking a dynamic wide threat that can aid Aubameyang and Lacazette with scoring the goals.

If the hints from Pepe’s manager and teammates are anything to go off of, those at Lille see him playing at a Premier League club that wears red kits. That seems to be hinting at either Manchester United or Arsenal.

Qualifying for Champions League football might just be the only way for the Gunners to be in the running for Pepe’s signature, and even if they do, they will still face a monumental challenge. However, it seems that Pepe is exactly the type of player that Arsenal are missing, and a player of his age that is capable of producing the numbers that he currently is, doesn’t come around often.

It’s difficult to see Barcelona and PSG maintaining interest in the player and vice versa into the summer as they both have young right-wingers already in the fray, but both Bayern Munich and Manchester United are in desperate need of a right-winger. It is likely that Pepe will end up at one of Arsenal, Bayern, or Manchester United.

Nicolas Pepe has become one of the standout performers in European football this season, and Arsenal must take their interest in his services to new heights, in order to fend off challengers and win his coveted signature. He is the type of player that can change the clubs fortunes.