Arsenal have been through major changes under Mikel Arteta and not everybody has been able to play a key role in their journey.
The Gunners axed Unai Emery back in 2019 and decided to bring Mikel Arteta back to the club.
The Spaniard enjoyed a fine five-year spell with Arsenal as a player, hanging up his boots as an Arsenal player in 2016.
After learning under Pep Guardiola, Arteta was picked as the man to lead Arsenal forward – and the move has paid dividends.
Arsenal have become legitimate title challengers under Arteta, going so close to claiming top spot in the last two seasons.
Arteta has been forced to make some difficult decisions as Arsenal boss, letting big-name players leave in order to take his project forward.
Nicolas Pepe finds a new club
Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were two of the biggest decisions of the Arteta era.
The duo were high-profile players but didn’t fit the direction Arteta wanted to go in, so were sent packing with Ozil feeling his situation ‘changed’ under Arteta.
Then there is Nicolas Pepe, a player who cost Arsenal a staggering £72million form Lille back in 2019.
Pepe arrived with huge expectations and couldn’t quite live up to them whilst seeing Bukayo Saka snatch his spot in the team.
The Ivorian faded out of the Arsenal plans, managing 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 appearances before heading out on loan to Nice for the 2022-23 season.
Pepe had his contract terminated last year as Arsenal brought an end to one of their most disappointing deals.
Pepe headed to Turkey with Trabzonspor but injuries and the Africa Cup of Nations limited him to just 19 league appearances.
After five goals and three assists, Pepe was once again let go at the end of the season and has found another new club.
Spanish side Villarreal have announced the signing of Pepe, handing him a two-year deal.
The La Liga club are pretty excited about the move, hailing Pepe as a ‘spectacular’ player who is ‘skilful in one-on-one situations’.
That may be a little over the top but Villarreal will hope to see Pepe get back to his best in Spain.
Pepe has recently admitted that he experienced ‘a kind of trauma’ having received so much criticism in England.
Now looking for another fresh start, Pepe is looking to recapture the kind of form which saw Bernd Leno hail him as ‘unbelievable’.
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