November 25th 2024.
In 2019, Nicolas Pepe made headlines as he became Arsenal's most expensive signing. Coming from Lille for a whopping £72 million, the winger was expected to bring his impressive goal-scoring and play-making abilities to the Gunners and help them return to their former glory. And while he had a decent start, scoring in Mikel Arteta's first win as manager and even helping the team lift the FA Cup in his first season, things quickly took a turn for the worse.
Pepe recently opened up about his tumultuous relationship with Arteta during his time at Arsenal. He described it as "tense and frustrating", and it was clear that the two didn't see eye-to-eye. Despite being the record signing, Pepe found himself struggling to get consistent game time under Arteta's tactics. This eventually led to the termination of his contract in 2023.
Reflecting on his time under Arteta, Pepe shared in an interview with The Athletic that things started off well, but his confidence gradually dwindled as he found himself being benched more and more without any explanation. As someone who values transparency and justification, this understandably caused some tension between him and the manager.
During his time at Arsenal, Pepe managed to score 27 goals and provide 21 assists in 112 appearances. While he does have good memories from his time at the Emirates, he also admits that the pressure of being the record signing took a toll on him. He explains that the high transfer fee led to harsh criticism from fans, which affected him and his family.
Pepe also acknowledges that his performance on the pitch was not up to par with what was expected of him, especially considering the amount of money Arsenal had invested in him. He shares that people expected him to score 30, 35, or even 40 goals a season, similar to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. But as a young player adapting to a new team and playing abroad for the first time, he found it difficult to meet those expectations. He ultimately paid the price for the hefty price tag and admits that it was a burden for him.
Now playing for Villarreal in Spain, Pepe looks back on his time at Arsenal with mixed emotions. While it didn't turn out as he had hoped, he still has some good memories and is grateful for the experience. He hopes that fans will remember him for more than just his transfer fee and see the hard work and challenges he faced during his time at the club.
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