Arsenal chief ‘should be sacked’ after Nicolas Pepe update – pundit
Whoever was responsible for signing Nicolas Pepe at Arsenal “should be sacked”.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former West Ham striker Frank McAvennie said the Gunners massively overpaid for Pepe.
The 28-year-old joined Arsenal from Lille in 2019 for £72million but has struggled to make his mark in recent season at the Emirates and spent the 2022-23 season out on loan back in France with Nice.
According to The Sun (2 August), the Ivory Coast international is closing in on a move to Turkish side Besiktas.
Pepe is set to terminate his contract a year early in order for the deal to go through, enabling him to join Besiktas on a free transfer.
The winger has been training alone during the Gunners’ pre-season and was not included in the squad that travelled to the USA last month but his omission was seemingly due to an injury despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.
McAvennie can’t believe Pepe could be about to quit the club for nothing after his big money move.
“Whoever bought him should be sacked,” he told Football Insider.
“I looked at him right away and I could not see it. I do not see the £72m player.
“It is very similar to Harry Maguire, he was not worth £80m and Pepe is the same.
“[Virgil] Van Dijk you could understand the price because he completely transformed Liverpool. Pepe has not had any kind of form at all at Arsenal really.“
In other news, Cheltenham Town, Cambridge United and Ross County race to sign Arsenal striker.