Yahoo Movies Record-breaking Arsenal flop finally set for exit as European giants close in on deal
Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has finally found a club willing to sign him, with reports suggesting that he is undergoing a medical with Besiktas.
Former Gunners manager Unai Emery signed Pepe in 2019 for a then-club record £72m fee, but he has never lived up to his hefty price tag.
He currently earns an eye-watering £140,000 per week with Arsenal, so it’s no surprise that Mikel Arteta has been desperate to get him off the books.
Pepe spent last season on loan with OGC Nice, where he failed to impress. He was unable to find a new club before the English transfer window closed last Friday.
Arteta was asked about Pepe’s situation earlier this summer after leaving the winger out of the pre-season squad. “At the moment he is recovering from an injury which is why he’s not here,” the Spaniard explained at the time.
There have even been suggestions that Arsenal were considering paying off Pepe’s contract, but it now seems that Arsenal have found a team that want to pay for him.
READ MORE: Mega-money Arsenal signing labelled their ‘weakest player’ after big mistake in Man Utd victory
According to French outlet L’Equipe, Pepe has had a ‘change of heart’ and is now willing to sign for Besiktas, who have allegedly been chasing his signature all summer.
The Turkish transfer window closes on September 15, so they still have time to get a deal done.
The report states that the Gunners are set to receive a small fee to recoup the huge £72m they paid for the winger back in 2019.
Due to how the fee is spread across the contract, £14.4million would see the north London outfit break even on the current value of Pepe on the financial books.
It would also put an end to a difficult four years with the club for the forward, who has only one year remaining on his contract.
Pepe’s arrival at the Emirates was met with a huge sense of optimism from the Arsenal supporters. However, he never seemed to settle in the Premier League.
The 28-year-old has made 112 appearances for Arsenal overall, scoring 27 goals and making 21 assists. Pepe will now hope to reignite his once-promising career in Turkey, if the deal goes through as reported.
The article Record-breaking Arsenal flop finally set for exit as European giants close in on deal appeared first on Football365.com.
