Nicolas Pepe has put his Arsenal nightmare behind him and rebuilt his reputation in Ligue 1 with Nice this year - and it seems as though the winger will be presented with the opportunity to leave the Emirates behind for good in the summer.
Pepe became the Gunners' record signing when he moved to the Premier League in a £72million deal from Lille back in the summer of 2019 but has failed to live up to expectations in north London.
After falling out of favour under Mikel Arteta last term, a parting of the ways seemed inevitable. And while Pepe is currently only on loan at Nice, the 27-year-old is now primed for a permanent exit once the current campaign concludes.
That's according to a fresh report from The Sun, who claim that Arsenal have decided to axe Pepe and six other players in a major summer cull in a bid to freshen up Arteta's playing squad.
Pepe will have just one year remaining on his contract when he returns to Arsenal from Nice in the summer, meaning the Gunners will only recoup a fraction of the sum they shelled out to acquire him four years ago if they can find a suitor for his services.
But with Arsenal currently exceeding expectations at the top of the Premier League and Pepe enjoying his football again away from the Emirates, a departure would probably suit all parties - even if it means taking a huge financial hit.
Join the debate! Do you think Arsenal should offload Pepe for good at the end of the season? Let us know here.
French outlet L'Equipe claimed earlier this week that Pepe would be open to extending his stay at Nice beyond the end of the season, which could give them the advantage if other clubs decide to firm up interest in the Arsenal outcast.
The Ligue 1 outfit do not have an option to turn Pepe's loan deal into a permanent one - but their new boss Didier Digard has already hinted that the club could do so after lauding the winger earlier this month.
"The team was already doing well when he left," Digard explained after Pepe made his return from an injury lay-off in Nice's recent Europa Conference League win against Moldovan minnows Sheriff Tiraspol.
"Before his injury, he was performing very well. It's an advantage for us. We don't see it like, 'We find someone while it was going well, how are we going to do it?'. Not at all, he is an extra weapon. He's capable of making a difference at any time, we saw that against Tiraspol. He can eliminate his opponents one on one. I think he is feared by the opponents, so he can free up space for us."
