Mikel Arteta has told Football London that it has finally clicked for Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal and couldn’t get over his defensive work.
The former Lille winger joined the Gunners for a club-record £72 million last summer.
But despite the figures in question, it’s been a lukewarm first season at Arsenal for the 25-year-old.
Pepe played a big role in helping Arteta’s side reach the semi-final of the FA Cup on Sunday, scoring a first-half penalty in a 2-1 victory over Sheffield United.
But that doesn’t tell the full story about Pepe’s involvement, with the France-born attacker comfortably being Arsenal’s most dangerous player on the day, while he also embraced his defensive duties – something that blew away his manager.
Arteta told Football London: “If you see his defensive actions it’s incredible what he was doing and then with the ball he gives us that creativity..
“I am very excited about what he can bring and what he’s bringing to the team this season. I think he’s made a click. I think he realises what he needs to do when his team as well when we don’t have the ball. I’m so pleased today.
“I really liked him from past. I didn’t know him personally but I think he’s a player with incredible potential.”
This should excite Arsenal fans.
From early on it’s been obvious that Pepe has had the talent. Think back to the defeat at Liverpool, when he fashioned several of his own goalscoring chances but fluffed all of them.
And if Arteta believes that it’s finally starting to ‘click’ then that can only be a very, very good thing.
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