EARLIER this summer, Josh Kroenke, the son of Arsenal’s owner Stan Kroenke, told fans not to worry this summer and said the club are working on deals fans could really get excited about. We were all sceptical but after the signing of Nicholas Pepe from Lille, Arsenal fans are delighted to have been proven wrong on those doubts.
Arsenal signing Pepe is a real coup. It’s one of the best deals any Premier League has completed in this transfer window and a major signing for so many reasons. Of course, Pepe was brilliant for Lille last season and a big reason why they finished runners-up in Ligue 1 behind Paris Saint-Germain but I’ve always said that Arsenal needed a statement signing this summer and that’s exactly what Pepe is.
#Arsenal have agreed a fee for Nicolas Pepe
Their front three next season is UNBELIEVABLE! pic.twitter.com/kfEsA82bUp
— Unibet (@unibet) July 27, 2019
Napoli, Liverpool and Manchester United were all heavily linked with a move for Pepe yet Arsenal secured him and without the lure of Champions League football as well. For Arsenal to pull that off, especially after the rumours all summer long of Arsenal only having a £40m budget is a real statement to the rest of the Premier League that Arsenal haven’t faded away into the background – we’re still here, and now we’ve got Pepe.
Pepe, 24, had a breakthrough season with Lille last year and finished only behind Kylian Mbappe in the Ligue 1 goalscoring charts with 22 goals as well as 11 assists in 37 appearances. Those figures are even more impressive when you consider Pepe played almost exclusively as a right-winger and his arrival resolves a massive problem for Unai Emery.
If there’s one thing Arsenal’s attack lacked last year it was width. Lacazette and Aubameyang are top class strikers but we didn’t have any players who operated on the wings in the same fashion as Liverpool and Manchester City and that made Arsenal’s attack a bit too predictable – Pepe changes that completely.
Nicolas Pepe Ligue 1 Stats 18/19
38 Appearances
♂️ 101 Successful Take-Ons
70 Chances Created
️ 11 Assists
64% Shot Accuracy
⚽️ 22 Goals
23% Chance Conversion Rate⏱ Mins Per Goal or Assist: 101 pic.twitter.com/1GuOCv4fYu
— Premier League Stat Man ⚽️ (@EPLStatman) July 27, 2019
All of a sudden, Arsenal have a direct goal threat from the right-wing and it adds a new dimension into what was already the strongest part of Arsenal’s team under Emery. Imagine being a centre-back and seeing Pepe, Aubameyang and Lacazette running towards you – it’s a front three that will scare every defence in the Premier League.
Now, some might see Pepe as a replacement for Aubameyang, who has been linked with a move away from Arsenal all summer but I don’t. Pepe is a direct replacement for Danny Welbeck and as Pepe is comfortable drifting into a more central role as well, he can offer everything Welbeck did and more. Fans shouldn’t worry about Aubameyang leaving, they should just be excited about seeing him link up with Pepe.
However, and I hate to spoil the party somewhat, this still can’t be considered a fantastic summer transfer window just yet. Arsenal have brought in Dani Ceballos to replace Aaron Ramsey and Pepe for Welbeck but the clear weakness in our defence still exists. Arsenal need to bring in a top-class centre-back and a left-back like Kieran Tierney to complete the window.
If we do, Arsenal fans will look at this summer as one of the best we’ve had in years and head into the new Premier League season with real confidence that we can start challenging again right at the top of the table. If we don’t, then the same problems that have haunted Arsenal in defence for years still exist.
Words by Robbie
