---
title: "Arsenal: Nicolas Pepe reportedly within Gunners’ sights"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/arsenal-nicolas-pepe-reportedly-within-gunners-sights/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Stephan Georgiou"
section: "Arsenal Football Club"
published: "2019-07-24T19:45:14Z"
modified: "2019-07-24T19:45:14Z"
---

# Arsenal: Nicolas Pepe reportedly within Gunners’ sights

**Arsenal are reportedly still in the running to sign Lille winger Nicolas Pepe this summer, according to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-arsenal-want-to-hijack-man-utd-pepe/).**

An [exclusive report](https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-arsenal-want-to-hijack-man-utd-pepe/) suggests there are voices from the Arsenal camp that say the Gunners are still working on a possible transfer for the 24-year-old, who had been thought, as per [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/exclusive-70m-valued-superstar-agrees-personal-terms-with-man-united/), to have agreed terms with Manchester United – leaving the two clubs to negotiate a fee for the Ivorian.

Football Insider also claim that Manchester United is Pepe’s preferred destination, while Lille are said to be asking for a fee of around £70m – which vastly exceeds the Gunners’ reported [transfer budget](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48278922).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/THE-BREAKDOWN.png)

The demand for Pepe’s services may lie in his performances from [last season](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/nicolas-pepe/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/343052/plus/0?saison=2018&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=), which saw him score 23 times from the wing in all competitions during 2018/19 – assisting on a further 12 occasions.

To put that into context, [Alex Iwobi](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-arsenal/kadernachposition/verein/11) (Arsenal’s only out-and-out winger last year, according to Transfermarkt) only managed [six goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/alex-iwobi/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/242631/plus/0?saison=2018&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) in the previous campaign – despite boasting a fairly similar assists record to Pepe with a total of nine.

Arsenal have been on the lookout for an added goal threat from wide areas, demonstrated by their pursuit of [Wilfried Zaha](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/32461/11752748/arsenal-launch-40m-bid-for-crystal-palace-forward-wilfried-zaha), who scored [10 times](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/wilfried-zaha/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/145988/plus/0?saison=2018&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) for Crystal Palace during 2018/19.

However, their unsuccessful efforts to lure Zaha away from Palace’s clutches to this point (following a second bid worth an [initial £55m](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/arsenal-transfer-news-wilfried-zaha-crystal-palace-fc-fee-reiss-nelson-saka-jenkinson-a9015316.html)) could prompt the Gunners to switch to other targets with the deadline approaching.

Although, with Pepe’s reported asking price only slightly below that of Zaha’s [£80m](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/arsenal-transfer-news-wilfried-zaha-crystal-palace-fc-fee-reiss-nelson-saka-jenkinson-a9015316.html) – the realistic prospects of Arsenal snatching the Lille forward from under United’s noses may be minimal considering the Gunners’ stretched [financial resources](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48278922) and the business they are currently looking to [undertake](https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11670/11766234/arsenal-agree-deal-with-saint-etienne-to-sign-william-saliba).

![](https://cdn.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Verdict.png)

In which case, perhaps getting hopes up of Pepe turning out in an Arsenal shirt next season will end up a wasted activity – if the progression of talks in Manchester are anything to go by.

The Gunners’ activity in the transfer window so far – which includes an imminent William Saliba deal said to be worth up to [€40m](https://peuple-vert.fr/actualite/info-pvfr-mercato-william-saliba-part-pour-arsenal-contre-40-millions-deuros/) (£35.7m) may suggest that a further move for Pepe is beyond Arsenal’s reach, with little by way of [outgoings](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-arsenal/transfers/verein/11/saison_id/2019) to boost transfer funds.

And that could leave Pepe free to join a new club without Arsenal being able to barge into potential negotiations.

***Arsenal fans, any chance of the club landing Pepe this summer? Tell us what you think by commenting below!***