MX23RW : Thursday, December 19 03:05:14| >> :120:5564:5564:

Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe 'sees Saudi Arabia move fall through'

Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe 'sees Saudi Arabia move fall through'
© Reuters
Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe faces an uncertain future after move to an unnamed Saudi Arabian club reportedly falls through.

Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has reportedly seen a move to Saudi Arabia break down.

The Ivory Coast international has failed to live up to expectations since arriving from Lille in a £72m transfer in 2019.

Pepe spent the 2022-23 season on loan with Ligue 1 side Nice, where he scored eight goals and provided one assist in 28 appearances.

There was no obligation to buy clause included in Pepe's loan deal, and he has now returned to Arsenal after Nice decided against pursuing a permanent transfer.

With Pepe behind the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in the pecking order, he is widely expected to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Nicolas Pepe in action for Nice on October 6, 2022© Reuters

According to CBS, Pepe was in discussions over a move to an unnamed Saudi Arabian club, but talks over a potential deal have broken down.

The report claims that Pepe was offered a financial package that included €5m (£4.3m) salary and significant bonuses, but the club have seemingly ended their interest and moved on to other targets.

As a result, Arsenal will have to consider other options for Pepe, who was recently left out of the club's pre-season tour of the USA.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has since revealed that Pepe was left out of the squad due to injury rather than a selection decision.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta pictured on May 7, 2023© Reuters

When asked about Pepe's future, Arteta told reporters: "At the moment he's recovering from an injury. That's why he's not here.

"He had a spell on loan and we wanted to get more from that loan spell. We'll have to see when he comes back. Have a chat with him. Understand what his plans are and make a decision."

With 12 months remaining on Pepe's current deal, there has been a suggestion that Arsenal could terminate his contract if they cannot find a new club for the winger.

The Ivorian has made a total of 112 competitive appearances for the Gunners, scoring 27 goals and providing 21 assists.

ID:519337:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect4337:
Written by
Ben Sully

Nicolas Pepe future - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about Nicolas Pepe

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Nicolas Pepe warms up for Arsenal in December 2021
Read Next:
Arsenal 'eager to move on Nicolas Pepe this summer'
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool15113131131836
2Chelsea16104237191834
3Arsenal1686229151430
4Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest168442119228
5Manchester CityMan City168352823527
6Bournemouth167452421325
7Aston Villa167452425-125
8Fulham166642422224
9Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton166642625124
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1672736191723
11Brentford167273230223
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle166552321223
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd166462119222
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham165472129-819
15Crystal Palace163761721-416
16Everton153661421-715
17Leicester CityLeicester163582134-1314
18Ipswich TownIpswich162681628-1212
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1623112440-169
20Southampton1612131136-255


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!