Arsenal are reportedly keen on Domenico Berardi – and Nicolas Pepe should be concerned.
According to Fanta Calcio, Arsenal are very interested in signing the Sassuolo winger during the January transfer window.
And if it materialises, this is a player who could blow Pepe out of the water in North London.
Not in terms of price tag, because Pepe, who cost £72 million, will still be the Gunners’ all-time record signing for a while longer yet.
But going by his stats, he’s just a bigger and better player than Pepe.
Head to head
Since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, the 27-year-old has scored 36 goals which, for a wide player, is a sensational return.
Berardi has also clocked up 21 assists in the same time period.
And the Arsenal enigma has managed only 25 goals, which isn’t a bad record by any means, but Berardi, who helped Italy win Euro 2020 in July, is a stronger player.
If the North Londoners do go for Berardi, it’ll be Pepe who drops out of the first XI.
In fact, he already has and perhaps that’s why Mikel Arteta and Edu are interested in the Italian star in the first place.
Pepe’s biggest problem by a mile is consistency – or a lack of – and until he can pull out big performances on a regular basis, he’s never going to be a £72 million player.
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