Kevin Campbell has suggested that it’s near-impossible for Nicolas Pepe to save his Arsenal career, claiming that it ‘definitely’ looks over for him.
The Ivorian was an unused substitution yet again on Thursday night as Arsenal lost 3-2 away to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The 26-year-old is the Gunners’ record signing of all time following a £72 million transfer from Lille back in 2019.
But a paltry five minutes of Premier League football under Mikel Arteta in two months illustrates that the North Londoners might have washed their hands with him entirely.
At least, that’s the view of former Arsenal hitman Campbell, who believes that Arteta’s decision to keep him warming the bench is an indicator of his decline.
He told The Highbury Squad: “By the looks of things Pepe’s done, isn’t he? That’s what it looks like. It’s over for Pepe. Definitely looks like it.”
Inconsistency
You have to say, Arteta hasn’t done a lot wrong.
The Spanish manager has been calling for some consistency from Pepe for the guts of two entire years.
And yet, the 26-year-old remains as inconsistent as he ever has done and as a consequence, a departure from the Emirates Stadium is looking inevitable.
Fifteen goals and eight assists in 67 Premier League appearances just isn’t going to cut it at a club like Arsenal – and certainly not when you’re their all-time record transfer.
Leaving would be something of a tragedy based on the potential that Pepe has shown, but he has never completely fulfilled it and, as Campbell said, he probably never will.
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