Arsenal and Chelsea are keeping tabs on FC Porto star Pepe ahead of the January window, but the Brazilian has a €75 million release clause.
According to Record, as relayed by Sport Witness, Arsenal and Chelsea are among the teams tracking Brazilian star Pepe in the January window. The FC Porto winger will be an expensive acquisition considering there’s a €75 million release clause in his contract that is valid until 2027.
Arsenal and Chelsea could remain active in the January transfer window, for both clubs need quality signings to continue their season. The Gunners are currently leading the charts in the Premier League, while the Blues have fallen to the eighth position.
Mikel Arteta has built a good squad from the last few transfer windows, and their starting eleven looks solid. But Arsenal lack quality in depth, and the manager could use the January transfer window to add and make the team stronger for the second part of the season.
They need players that can elevate the quality of their squad and bring in stars that can change games with their presence. Mykhaylo Mudryk is Arsenal’s prime target, but the Ukrainian winger is set to cost a lot of money. The Gunners seem adamant about getting a transfer done but may not sign him.
They are also keen on Porto star Pepe, the 25-year-old Brazilian winger. He has come to the fore since the departure of Luis Diaz last January. Since the Colombian’s exit, Pepe got tasked with much more responsibility to influence play in the final third.
The €75 million-rated Brazilian winger has done enough to grab the attention of Arsenal and Chelsea. When he signed a new deal recently, Porto decided to improve his release clause, which now stands at €75 million. Chelsea are keen on the winger and could open talks with the Portuguese outfit.
The Blues could make plenty of signings in January and include Pepe as a statement transfer. However, his price tag may prove problematic, although the Blues are not short of money. He would improve the Chelsea squad under Graham Potter, which lacks creativity and energy.
The €75 million price tag could prove a problem for Pepe if he desires to join a Premier League club. However, in the past, Porto have shown their willingness to negotiate and lower the asking price. They did it with Diaz and might as well follow suit for Pepe if the English clubs can make a reasonable offer.
