Kevin Campbell says Mikel Arteta wouldn’t have signed Unai Emery capture Nicolas Pepe for Arsenal in the first place after he was replaced as the club’s record signing by Declan Rice.
In 2019, Arsenal paid £72 million for Nicolas Pepe’s talents (Sky Sports) and he became the most expensive player in the club’s history, which came with big pressures and expectations.
But he couldn’t deal with that pressure or perform on a regular basis, even though Campbell thought that he had ‘unbelievable’ and ‘incredible’ talents at his feet, instead he thinks that Arteta would have looked to have signed a player like Jack Grealish, as he told the Highbury Squad.
Pepe did help Arteta win an FA Cup, as well as show some promise before he was loaned out last season, but in the end, it didn’t and hasn’t worked out for him.
Perhaps the relief for the 28-year-old is that the tag of being the most expensive player in Arsenal’s history is now on Rice’s shoulders and no longer his own.
But with Arsenal currently preparing for the new season in America, Pepe is back at London Colney with his future at the Emirates coming towards its end, with Campbell sharing his thoughts.
“Pepe, unfortunately, was an unknown quantity, who we hoped would be unbelievable,” said Campbell. “Declan Rice is a marquee signing. That’s the difference. It has been a long time since we signed someone of that stature.
On what Pepe would have been like if Arteta was his first manager at Arsenal: “Maybe he wouldn’t have signed him because of what Mikel Arteta looks for in players, maybe we wouldn’t have signed him.
“Maybe we would have signed someone like Jack Grealish. That’s the difference. But if Arteta was his first manager, then Nicolas Pepe would have had to do a lot more of that work he was trying to do just as he left when he was on loan and to get his game together.
“I don’t think he worked at his game enough or the transition from France to England didn’t come quick enough. He has got unbelievable ability and he helped Arsenal win an FA Cup under Mikel Arteta. His inconsistencies worked against him. Talent-wise, we know he has incredible talent.”
Saka has shown Pepe levels
The performances of Bukayo Saka during these past few years are what fans expected Pepe would bring to the table, but he couldn’t.
Even going back to France last season on a loan deal didn’t work out for the left-footed star, who scored six goals and supplied one assist for Nice.
But now his career at Arsenal could be coming to an end, with suggestions that Pepe is one of the players Arteta is ‘most eager to move on’.
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