Martin Keown thinks Arsenal have an ‘icy cool’ midfielder that is proving big transfer fee

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Martin Keown has told BT Sport that he thinks Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe is finally starting to show why The Gunners paid a whopping £72million to sign the Ivory Coast star from Lille in 2019 – after he netted against Slavia Prague on Thursday night.

Pepe, 25, scored his tenth goal of the season on Thursday night as Arsenal secured a place in the semi-finals of the Europa League – with a 4-0 win in the Czech Republic, having drawn the first leg 1-1 at The Emirates. Pepe also laid on assist.

Emile Smith-Rowe produced a wonderful assist in which he nutmegged two Slavia Prague players before finding Pepe, who calmly took an extra touch to go round the goalkeeper and finish into the back of the net with his left foot.

It was another example of Pepe beginning to show improvement in an Arsenal shirt, and Arsenal legend Keown has raved about the former Lille star – stating that he is finally starting to prove why the Gunners splashed out a club-record fee to sign him.

“It shows the strength in depth,” Keown said. “They’ve paid a lot of money and a lot of people talk about it. But he is putting displays in and when he is through on goal, he is icy cool. Arsenal are finally getting a return for him, he looks very confident.”

TBR’s view – Can Pepe finally be Arsenal’s long-term answer out wide?

It has been a tricky couple of years for Pepe but certainly, he is starting to show glimpses of the form at Lille that eventually earned him a move to Arsenal. He has been excellent for Arsenal, especially in the Europa League.

Clocking up five goals and four assists in 11 Europa League appearances, Pepe has been crucial to their pursuit of a third title under Mikel Arteta – having already won the Community Shield and the FA Cup. He can finally be the answer out wide.