Arsenal are keen to get rid of record-signing Nicolas Pepe this summer as they enter the final year of his contract. The winger signed from Lille in 2019 for an incredible £72m and never got close to living up to that price tag in three seasons with the Gunners. Pepe played 112 games for the club over three campaigns, scoring 27 goals, before being loaned back to Ligue 1 with Nice for the season just gone. The 28-year-old scored eight times in 28 games for the French side but they are not interested in keeping hold of him on a permanent deal. The Telegraph report that Arsenal are open to any offers for him this summer as they look to get him off the books and are even considering cancelling his contract if no bids come in. Pepe is certainly not in Mikel Arteta’s plans going forward, despite needing more strength in depth ahead of Arsenal’s return to the Champions League next season.
The Gunners are hoping to reduce their wage bill by getting rid of the likes of Pepe as they get closer to breaking the transfer record they set with the Ivorian by signing Declan Rice. The deal, thought to be worth around £100m, is near completion and would see the midfielder become one of the highest-paid players at the club. Arsenal are also still interested in Brighton’s Moises Caicedo, who they tried to buy in January, but will cost over £70m this summer.