‘Phenomenal’ Arsenal star could see out his contract and leave for free in 2024

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Nicolas Pepe is set to return to Arsenal this summer, and the Ivorian could look to see his contract out instead of leaving the club a year early.

That’s according to Paul Brown, with the journalist claiming on GiveMeSport that it will be very difficult for Edu and co to find a buyer for Pepe, who cost Arsenal a club-record fee four years ago.

Pepe will enter the final year of his contract in July.

Nicolas Pepe could see out his Arsenal contract and leave for free in 2024

Arsenal signed Nicolas Pepe for a club-record £72 million back in the summer of 2019 (BBC).

The Ivorian came to the Emirates on the back of a phenomenal season in France, where he scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions.

Pepe came in to join Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in attack, and on paper, that looked like a deadly partnership capable of wreaking havoc on the opposition. However, the winger just failed to live up to his price tag, and Arsenal shipped him out on loan to French side OGC Nice last summer.

Now, Pepe is set to return to the Emirates, and Brown believes he could stay for a year and then leave the club on a free transfer at the end of next season.

He said: “They won’t be getting a club-record fee for him going out.

“I’m not sure they’re going to get anything for Pepe as it wouldn’t surprise me if he just wants to see his contract out.”

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It will be extremely difficult for Arsenal to get a buyer for Pepe.

The Ivorian is currently on a £140,000-a-week contract (Spotrac) at Arsenal. That is a lot of money for foreign clubs to pay, and we can’t see an English club trying their luck with him.

Arsenal have been stuck in a similar position in the past and Edu decided to terminate the contracts of players like Mesut Ozil, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Willian, Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

If the Gunners can’t get a buyer this summer, we won’t be surprised to see them terminate Pepe’s contract instead of keeping him on their books for another year.