'Ronaldinho flicks and tricks': Ramsdale says 26-year-old Arsenal ace is so skilled

Arsenal duo Aaron Ramsdale and Rob Holding featured on this week’s FIFA vs Challenge on Sky Sports.

The Gunners goalkeeper and defender spoke about themselves and their teammates, comparing their real-life traits with the in-game statistics.

And one particular in-game star left both players in disbelief – namely, Skills.

Ramsdale and Holding were asked who they thought was the only 5* Skills player in the Arsenal team.

Before the interviewer even finished his question, the goalkeeper said Pepe”, and his teammate added “Pepe, surely”.

Both winced after being told Pepe was 4*, and when the interviewer said “Odegaard” was 5*, Ramsdale shook his head and said “nope”.

Holding made it clear that “Skills is Pepe”, and Ramsdale added “Skills means Ronaldinho flicks and tricks… that’s not Martin”.

“It’s a horrible experience, he’s good”

Earlier this month, Kieran Tierney also lauded the Ivory Coast international’s skills, deeming him the hardest player to face in training.

“I’d say Pepe all day,” he told The Chat.

“I play against him every day and it’s a horrible experience. He’s good.”

In a way, it’s almost sad to see such high praise about Pepe’s skills when the player himself is barely getting a look-in.

Arsenal smashed their transfer record to bring the 26-year-old to the Premier League in 2019, paying £72million.

However, Pepe has struggled for consistency and most of his game time in red-and-white is now off the bench.

Indeed, Mikel Arteta last gave the winger a Premier League start in October last year, against Crystal Palace.

That said, Pepe did get his first goal of the season not long ago, equalising in the 2-1 win over Wolves.

Pepe will have two years left on his contract come the summer, but it remains to be seen what Arteta plans to do.