Nicolas Pepe arrived at Arsenal for a club-record fee 3 years ago but has failed to cement his position in the team. According to recent reports, the player is set to hold talks with the club regarding his future at the Emirates. Apart from planning signings for the next season, Arsenal will have to make decisions regarding which players to retain and which players to let go.

Arsenal signed Nicolas Pepe from Lille in the summer of 2019, for a huge £72million fee. However, he failed to replicate his form with the Gunners. In around 3 seasons with the club, he has appeared in 109 matches across all competitions, and has registered 27 goals and 20 assists (stats via Transfermarkt).

However, he has started just 43 Premier League games, with manager Mikel Arteta unable to place his trust in the Ivorian winger. This season, the winger has played in 17 Premier League games, starting just 5 games, and has just one goal and one assist. The player has two years left in his current contract and the North London club will open talks with him to discuss his future.

According to The Evening Standard, Arsenal will initiate talks with Nicolas Pepe over his future at the end of the current season. There are strong indications that the Ivorian winger could leave for new pastures in the summer transfer window.

🚨 Arsenal will sit down at the end of the season with Nicolas Pépé and his agent to discuss his future. The winger has two-years left on his deal and is expected to leave in the summer.

[Source: Evening Standard] pic.twitter.com/b2CCIRPVIt

— Transfer HQ (@Transfer__HQ) April 29, 2022

Reports indicate that the Gunners are looking to sign two forwards, with a wide player, in the upcoming summer transfer window. This could lead to a further reduction in his playing time, with the 26-year-old already frustrated with the lack of game-time under Arteta.

Pepe, who has not started a Premier League match since October, opened up about his dearth of minutes on the pitch at the Emirates. While on international duty with Ivory Coast last month, he said:

“The most important thing is to enjoy your football. That is something I am able to do when I get the chance to play.”

“It is happening at international level and a bit less so at club level. It is frustrating not to play. No player enjoys not playing but I have to respect the coach’s decision.”

“When a team is winning it is hard for a coach to make changes. Mikel has explained that to me and I know I have to work hard in training to get more playing time.”

“The coach knows what I think and how hard I am working. It is also about communication. Sometimes it is not easy to communicate with the language barrier. It has been a tough season for me.”

However, the Ivorian is an absolute professional and is committed to helping Arsenal achieve top-four this season. The Gunners are currently fourth in the Premier League table, two points ahead of fellow North London rivals Tottenham. Arteta’s side cannot rest for now as they play Antonio Conte’s side later this month. The derby will ultimately decide which English side secures the last Champions League spot for next season.

If Arsenal qualify for the Champions League, their transfer budget will increase and they will be able to meet the price-tags required to bring in quality strikers for next season. With European games back at the Emirates, if Nicolas Pepe decides to stay at Arsenal, his minutes on the pitch could increase as Arteta would then need to rotate players and that will allow fringe players like him more minutes than this season.

Speaking about playing in Europe’s elite competition, the Spaniard remarked that it could be a potential ‘game changer’ for the Gunners. Explaining what it would bring to the club, he said:

“To play in the competition that has a huge history and relation to our club. Secondly, obviously, it improves every situation with the sponsors, financially expectations, the capacity to grow our players and expose them to a different dimension of a competition.”

Read More:

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• Arsenal in Talks to Sign €60m Serie A Striker, Talks With Representatives Held

It has to be seen what decision Arteta takes. Arsenal has been linked with multiple right-wingers in the last couple of months, indicating that maybe they are willing to let Pepe leave this summer. Pepe is a classy winger with flair and finesse, and a quality player like him needs more minutes. Yes, he has not been productive consistently, and it is difficult for any club chasing Champions League football to persist with him.

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