Paul Merson has written in The Daily Star that Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal will try to sell Nicolas Pepe in the summer transfer window.
The former Arsenal star believes that the Gunners will try to get £30 million for Pepe.
The Sky Sports pundit, though, does not think that Arsenal will get that much in transfer fees if indeed they try to cash in on the winger.
Merson has added that Pepe has been a flop at Arsenal since his £72 million transfer from Lille in 2019.
Arsenal Technical Director Edu signed Pepe when Unai Emery was in charge of the Gunners.
Merson wrote about Pepe: “It’s unbelievable really. A few years ago, if you’d bought a player for that much money and he was sitting on the bench all season, you’d be sacked.
“I know Mikel Arteta didn’t buy him. And Unai Emery is long gone. But you get the point. And Arteta isn’t getting a tune out of him either. If he was that good Arteta would be playing him.
“He just isn’t a £72m player. I think Arsenal will be hoping he carries it on for the rest of the season and they might get £30m for him. But at the moment I don’t even see anyone paying that.”
What should Arsenal do with Nicolas Pepe?
In our view, if Arsenal get a decent transfer fee for Pepe, then they should sell him.
Or at least consider a sale.
Yes, the Ivory Coast international did well against Wolverhampton Wanderers, but as Merson rightly notes in The Daily Star, he is not consistent.
Pepe has scored 16 goals in 71 Premier League appearances so far in his career.
The Arsenal no. 19 has made only five starts in the Premier League so far this season.
There is a reason why Arsenal manager Arteta does not start Pepe often.
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