Shaka Hislop has claimed that Nicolas Pepe is unhappy at Arsenal and he has urged the club to ‘move him on’ this summer, as he told ESPN.
The former Premier League goalkeeper questioned Pepe’s body language and how, nearly three years after signing, he is still unsettled in north London.
Arsenal fans will remember, but for the wrong reasons, that Pepe is the club’s record-breaking transfer, with £72 million being shelled out to Lille for his talents back in 2019, as reported by Sky Sports.
To say that Pepe has hardly shown, over a consistent basis, that he is worth that sum of money is an understatement, as he will go down as one of the worst Premier League transfers of all time when he leaves.
But where could Pepe go? Back to Lille? Join another club in France? Even Hislop was pondering what destination the 27-year-old could do next, as there might not be many options.
“Move him on,” said Hislop. “I will be really frank. As much as we may have seen the good Nicolas Pepe from time to time, that time to time has been few and far between.
“I don’t think his body language suggests that he is happy, that he is settled in and that he is enjoying football at all at Arsenal.
“I was at St James’ Park for Newcastle’s final home game where they beat Arsenal 2-0. And let me tell you, I was there with a friend who is an Arsenal fan and Pepe, who came off the bench, tried to have an impact, if you are an Arsenal fan, then you couldn’t have been more disappointed.
“He was more of a liability to Arsenal and you just knew he wasn’t going to have an impact as Arteta had hoped. Very good at Lille, maybe he just goes back? Or somewhere in Ligue 1? But I don’t know what club in which other league takes a chance on Pepe.”
PEPE ONE OF ARSENAL’S WORST-EVER TRANSFERS
It’s fair to say that when those in the Arsenal boardroom decide to write another big, big cheque, then they are going to make sure ten times over that they are absolutely certain of the transfer.
Unai Emery was the man in the Emirates dugout when Pepe arrived and he didn’t show any promise under the Spaniard – and that has continued under Arteta.
Would Emery, who is now Villarreal’s coach, take Pepe on board in Spain? Probably not, which probably tells you everything you need to know.
During the France-born star’s time in the Premier League, he has scored 16 goals from 80 matches, Bukayo Saka managed 11 alone last season.
Saka was just coming through when Pepe arrived, and given that the Englishman is now playing on that right-hand side, it just goes to show that there is better quality in the Hale-End academy than out in the transfer market.
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