Arsenal fans stunned after finding out true cost of Nicolas Pepe deal

Arsenal fans have been left stunned after learning the true cost of the deal to sign Nicolas Pepe.

The Ivorian signed for the Gunners in August 2019, becoming the club's record signing.

It was initially reported that Arsenal forked out £72 million for Pepe, who signed from Lille.

Arsenal's former head of football Raul Sanllehi was said to be the man pushing for Pepe, though he ended up leaving a year on from the deal.

Pepe played 112 times for Arsenal, scoring 27 times and assisting a further 21.

He is considered to have flopped in North London but details have emerged of just how much Arsenal spent on Pepe.

According to a new report from The Telegraph, Pepe is believed to have cost "significantly more" than £100 million with the total transfer fee and wages taken into account.

Image: Getty

Pepe's drop in value contributed around £18 million in losses and the winger will go down as one of Arsenal's worst bits of business.

He returned to France for the 2022/23 season, scoring eight times while on loan at Nice.

Having been unfancied by Mikel Arteta, Pepe's contract was then terminated in September - allowing him to move to Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor on a free transfer.

He's played seven times and scored twice, as well as helping Ivory Coast win the Africa Cup of Nations on home soil earlier this month.

Last year, Pepe reflected on his time at Arsenal and described his third campaign as "complicated".

Image: Getty

As per Turkish media, he said: “Maybe the first season benefited me a lot, it challenged me a little mentally. We achieved success in this first season and won trophies.

“The second season was much better in terms of adaptation and statistics, I performed better, but the third season was a bit complicated. I had to respect the coach’s choice throughout this season.

"Not having played is a complicated and difficult enough situation for a player. In the fourth season, I was loaned.

"It went well in the beginning and until mid-season. I was injured in the middle of this season - this injury then started to complicate things.”

Topics: Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe, Ligue 1

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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