July 18th 2024.
Nicolas Pepe, a former winger for Arsenal, has recently opened up about his struggles during his time with the club. In a candid interview, he admitted to experiencing trauma and even contemplated quitting football altogether while playing under Mikel Arteta's management. Pepe, who was the club's record signing in 2019, joined in a staggering £72 million deal from Lille.
Despite showing glimpses of his potential in his first two seasons with Arsenal, Pepe failed to make a lasting impact and was eventually loaned out to Nice after his third season in the Premier League. Now a free agent after spending the previous season on loan at Turkish side Trabzonspor, Pepe has revealed that Arsenal made it difficult for him to leave the club.
In his own words, Pepe stated, "I didn't care about the money. At Nice, I was only receiving 25% of my salary. All I wanted was to play. I had hoped to leave earlier in the summer, but Arsenal didn't want to let me go. They kept saying, 'We bought you for €80 million, we can't just let you leave'." Pepe went on to explain that the club demanded large sums of money for his transfer, making it impossible for him to leave.
Despite having offers from clubs in the Gulf and Turkey, Pepe was only able to secure a move to Trabzonspor after the European market had closed. He also revealed that Arsenal had one condition for allowing him to leave - he was not allowed to join a club in Saudi Arabia. According to Pepe, this was due to image concerns, and he was ultimately happy to join Trabzonspor.
During the interview, Pepe also took the time to appreciate the support he received from Arsenal fans. He acknowledged that the criticism he faced during his time with the club had a significant impact on him and even made him consider early retirement. "I didn't ask for €80 million to be put on me," Pepe said. "But at that price, people expect you to perform immediately. It's all about statistics, and unfortunately, that's just how it is nowadays. I wasn't going to dominate the Premier League right away, and that's what led to the wave of criticism."
He also shared that the criticism not only came from social media but also from the media and certain members of the club. Pepe admitted that it affected his mental state, family, and ultimately, his performances. He expressed his gratitude towards the Arsenal fans, who were the only ones who consistently supported him throughout his time at the club.
Pepe also revealed that his time at Arsenal had caused him to question his passion for the game and even consider quitting. "I suffered a kind of trauma at Arsenal, as if my love for football had been taken away from me. I began to resent the sport, and I even questioned why I was doing this job. At one point, I even thought about giving it all up," he said.
It's clear that Pepe's time at Arsenal was a difficult one, but he remains grateful for the support of the fans and the opportunities the club gave him. As he continues to search for a new team, it's clear that Pepe has learned a valuable lesson about the highs and lows of professional football.
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