Nicolas Pepe is reportedly on the radar of La Liga giants Sevilla, who are looking for attacking reinforcements, with Arsenal open to a sale.
According to Fichajes, La Liga giants Sevilla are interested in Nicolas Pepe as they need attacking reinforcements ahead of the 2022/23 season. Arsenal are open to selling their record signing, who could be surplus to Mikel Arteta’s requirements.
The Premier League season is under a week away, and many clubs have yet to figure out their final squad for the campaign. Most have done plenty of business by adding new players to their roster. However, they also have several fringe stars to offload, which in Arsenal’s case has been particularly slow.
The Gunners have done most of their incoming business early in the window, but they are finding it difficult to get players out of the club. As a result, at least half a dozen first-team stars are unwanted at the Emirates. While moving in the right direction with Arsenal’s signings, the need to trim the squad is significant for Mikel Arteta.
Nicolas Pepe is the most prized asset in the squad and is available for transfer. However, the interest in Arsenal’s record signing has been sporadic at best. There have been rumours of interest from West Ham United and Everton, but those links cooled off instantly.
Newcastle United were briefly linked with the Ivory Coast international. But like the other clubs, the interest has not been concrete enough to see an offer come through. However, the chances of the Ivorian departing could drastically increase in the coming days, with Sevilla emerging as a potential destination.
Sevilla sporting director Monchi is keen to use the time remaining in the summer transfer window to address some of the issues in the squad. After selling Jules Kounde to Barcelona and Diego Carlos to Aston Villa, defensive signings have become a priority. At the same time, with cash at hand, they could also explore bringing in attacking players.
Nicolas Pepe could be the signing they might view as an improvement from their current options, and the Ivorian could be available for a reasonable price. Arsenal are aware of the loss they might take on his sale, considering they spent £72 million to acquire him three years ago.
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But the 26-year-old is still a solid talent despite his struggles under Arteta. The Gunners could be looking at £25-30 million in return, although Sevilla or any interested parties will look to negotiate the price. Moreover, Arsenal are expected to target a high-profile wide forward, having already attempted to sign Raphinha earlier in the window.
