TalkSPORT pundit says Nicolas Pepe was a 'shocking signing' by Arsenal

By Shamanth Jayaram

TalkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara has urged Arsenal to sell Nicolas Pepe this summer after branding him as a ‘shocking signing’.

Unai Emery’s Gunners signed the Ivorian for a club-record £72 million in 2019 (BBC). He was one of the best players in France before he moved to the Emirates, and Arsenal fans were really expecting him to set the the Premier League on fire with his pace, skill and tricks.

However, in his three years at the club, Pepe has not been able to find the form that he showed in his final year at Lille. His place in the side was taken over by a teenager in Bukayo Saka at the start of the 2020/21 season, and there’s no way he’s going to win that back.

O’Hara now believes that it’s time for Arsenal to get rid of their most expensive signing ever.

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TalkSPORT pundit says Nicolas Pepe was a ‘shocking signing’ by Arsenal

Speaking on talkSPORT Edge, O’Hara said: “I would say sell [Pepe], get rid.

“I mean it was kind of a shocking signing really.

“£75million but paid over five years? Ridiculous!

“If they can get money back for him then get rid of him because I don’t think he is good enough to play in this Arteta team.”

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In his final season at Lille, nobody apart from Kylian Mbappe was as good as Pepe in the whole of Ligue 1.

The Ivorian scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions. He was linked to multiple top clubs across Europe, and Lille were free to demand whatever they wanted for him.

The only way Arsenal could’ve signed Pepe was by paying the mammoth amount, and they did just that. At the time, it didn’t seem like an awful decision considering that he had only just turned 24 and had a truly magnificent season at a club far inferior to the Gunners.

However, looking back now, it’s safe to say that things have neither worked out for Pepe nor Arsenal.