Arsenal star's move to Saudi Arabian collapses despite advanced talks - Reports
Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe's proposed move to an unnamed Saudi Arabian club has collapsed, according to CBS Sports.
The Gunners signed Pepe from French club LOSC Lille for a then-club record €80 million in 2019. The winger moved to England following an impressive two-year stint with Les Dogues during which he bagged 37 goals and 18 assists from 79 appearances across competitions.
However, Pepe has struggled to justify his hefty price tag at Arsenal. During his first three seasons at the Emirates, he netted 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 games across competitions. The attacker fell out of favor under Mikel Arteta in the 2021-22 campaign, starting just five Premier League games.
The north London giants sent Pepe out on loan to OGC Nice for the 2022-23 season to help him regain form. The Ivorian appeared to be enjoying his time in France, scoring six goals and providing an assist in his first 16 Ligue 1 games. However, he missed as many games due to injury in the second half of the season.
Arsenal are now keen to offload Pepe, who has entered the final year of his contract. The Premier League giants are prepared to accept a nominal fee or even terminate his contract to get the Cote d'Ivoire international off their books, according to the aforementioned source.
It emerged earlier this week that a mid-table club in the Saudi Pro League have expressed their desire to sign Pepe. As per CBS Sports, the team in question offered the former Lille star a €5 million net salary plus bonuses to move to the middle east.
However, the proposed transfer has now collapsed, with the club moving on to other targets. It remains to be seen if the Premier League giants can find other suitors for Pepe before the transfer window closes.
Arsenal are having a busy transfer window
Arsenal are determined to build on the progress they made under Mikel Arteta last season when they finished second in the Premier League. They have made three major additions to their squad, signing Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber for over €200 million. The Gunners are keen to further strengthen their squad.
It appears that the north London giants are interested in adding another midfielder to their ranks. They have been linked with a move for Ajax attacker Mohammed Kudus. Southampton's Romeo Lavia is also of interest to Arteta's side.
However, the Gunners' making a move for either of those players could depend on player sales. They have already sold Granit Xhaka and Pablo Mari for a combined €30 million. Nicolas Pepe, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Cedric Soares are among the players who could leave the club.