Ray Parlour has stated that Leeds United and Newcastle United transfer target, Nicolas Pepe, has to ‘change’ his attitude at Arsenal, as he told talkSPORT.
The Highbury legend was questioning whether Arsenal’s club-record £72 million transfer is good enough and shared how, when he was purchased, he wasn’t even the first choice because they initially wanted Crystal Palace flyer, Wilfried Zaha.
That was three years ago and fast forward to the present and Pepe is being allowed to head for the exit door at the Emirates, with Leeds and Newcastle keen to bring him in.
The 27-year-old was part of Mikel Arteta’s squad that recently travelled to the USA for their pre-season tour, but for how much longer will he be in England’s capital?
Parlour blasted Pepe’s attitude and suggested that he is also a player that just doesn’t believe in his own talents.
“The only reason they bought Pepe is because you can pay yearly,” said Parlour. “They were paying £15 million. They didn’t have £70 million up front to pay for Zaha, I think they wanted Zaha.
“But Crystal Palace wanted it up front because they have to replace him.
“What I have seen so far from pre-season, he is having a go, whether he’s good enough is another matter. The attitude has got to change.
“I always say to the young players that ‘you have to believe in yourself that you are the best player’. You might have better players around you, but you have to believe in yourself more. Certain players don’t do that.”
SAME OLD STORY FOR PEPE
The feelings towards Pepe are pretty much the same across the board because another Arsenal legend, Kevin Campbell, also voiced such concerns for the player.
Whilst the former striker thinks the Ivory Coast star is ‘talented’, he thinks it’s too late for him to turn things around and he needs to leave the club.
The big issue Arsenal face is that, do they loan him out? Sell him? If so, what transfer fee are they going to put on his head because they will get nowhere near what they paid for him?!
Pepe has two years left on his current deal and he won’t be signing a new contract anytime soon, that’s for sure.
But if he doesn’t leave this summer, with the Gunners returning to Europe, then it really will be a last chance saloon for the player, even if he gets limited game time, which is most likely.
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