Arsenal are in talks with Nice over a potential loan move for Nicolas Pepe.
Three years after the winger signed for the Gunners for £72million from Lille, Arsenal are keen to move Pepe on with it clear that he is not a part of Mikel Arteta’s plans.
The 27-year-old made five Premier League starts last season, scoring a single goal, and did not play a single minute in Arsenal’s wins over Crystal Palace and Leicester to start the season.
It’s reported the Gunners will still have to contribute towards Pepe’s £140,000-a-week wages should he join Nice on loan, who have already signed Aaron Ramsey and Kasper Schmeichel this summer.
Mikel Arteta was asked about Pepe’s future in his press conference ahead of Arsenal’s trip to face Bournemouth this weekend, with the Arsenal boss hinting at a possible move.
“What we can communicate we always do when it’s the right moment,” Arteta said.
“We discussed that we have a big squad and we’ve made some decisions and allowed some players to leave. Until the end of the window anything is possible with any player.”
After a busy period of incomings earlier in the summer, Arsenal’s focus in recent weeks has been trimming the squad, with Lucas Torreira, Alex Runarsson and Pablo Mari among those to leave.
The club are hoping to secure permament moves for both Hector Bellerin and Ainsley Maitland-Niles in the final two weeks of the window.
