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According to the , Arsenal have agreed a £72 million fee with Lille to sign Nicolas Pepe. A deal must now be reached between the Gunners and the player’s representatives. However, it is expected that the 24-year-old will be welcomed to the Emirates Stadium very soon.
If this transfer does go through, it will represent a sensational coup for the north London outfit. Having failed to qualify for the Champions League last season, for the third year in a row, the Gunners’ prospects of a good transfer window looked dire at the start of the summer. However, the arrival of Pepe would restore optimism at the club heading into the new campaign.
The 11-cap Ivory Coast international is currently one of the hottest properties in European football. He was in scintillating form last season, as he racked up 22 goal and 11 assists in Ligue 1. He would certainly bring an injection of pace, flair and goal threat to the flanks for Unai Emery’s side.
However, even once the deal to bring Pepe to the club is done, Arsenal cannot afford to rest on their laurels. As exciting a signing as this is, it does not address the key issue in Emery’s squad. Pepe is an attacker, but it Arsenal’s defence that is most in need of improvements. If the signing of Pepe isn’t to go to waste, then he needs to be followed into the club by quality reinforcements for the rearguard.