When Nicolas Pepe signed for Arsenal in 2019, he became the club’s record signing at a tidy £72million.
Fresh off a breakthrough Ligue 1 campaign in which he scored 22 goals and registered 11 assists to help Lille finish second behind Paris Saint-Germain, expectations were naturally high.
Pepe’s fee saw him surpass Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the most expensive player in Arsenal history.
Their respective trajectories over the last 15 months, however, could barely have been more contrasting.
![[FILE] Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (L) runs with the ball as Arsenal’s Brazilian defender Gabriel closes in during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium in London. (Photo by Catherine Ivill / POOL / AFP)](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/000_97B779-scaled-e1703231851386-120x86.jpg "Liverpool host Arsenal in battle for Premier League Christmas No. 1 3")
While Aubameyang’s season is yet to catch fire, the 31-year-old scored 70 goals in 109 games during his first two-and-a-half-years at the Emirates Stadium, becoming the club captain in the process.
Pepe and Aubameyang are, of course, different players, but the manner in which they have carried a hefty price-tag has been telling.
Whereas Aubameyang has refused to allow his £56m fee to weigh heavily, Pepe has struggled to consistently justify the Gunners’ unprecedented outlay.
Last season, there were points at which Pepe resembled a player who needed time to settle. Despite that, he still scored seven goals and added 10 assists in all competitions, certainly a respectable return during a year in which Arsenal changed managers.
Pepe could not have made a better start under Mikel Arteta, scoring the opener as Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-0 on New Year’s Day to secure the Spaniard’s first win since succeeding Unai Emery.
That strike helped seal Pepe’s place in Arteta’s line-up as the right-sided player in the three behind the main striker.
Against Newcastle United in February, he scored one and set up two others in a 4-0 win before creating Aubameyang’s winner in the 3-2 victory over Everton.
At that point, Pepe certainly appeared to have set himself on an upward trajectory, but despite continuing his promising form post-lockdown with assists for Aubameyang in the FA Cup semi-final and final, he has struggled to build on that steady progress.
Of course, much of that has been to do with Willian’s arrival with the Brazilian immediately establishing himself under Arteta after arriving on a free transfer following his departure from Chelsea.
Arteta has also changed his system from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3, and with Willian’s appetite for defensive work in addition to creating chances, Pepe has been largely used as an impact player in the league and a Willian stand-in Europe.
That has naturally affected Pepe’s development, and with Willian ahead of him in the pecking order, the 25-year-old has been forced to try to impress Arteta in cameos from the bench and Europa League games against lesser opposition.
In fairness, Pepe staked his claim for a return to the starting XI by scoring the winner against Sheffield United six minutes after replacing Eddie Nketiah.
His reward was a place in the team for the trip to Manchester City, on the left of a three-pronged attack alongside Aubameyang and Willian. While admittedly a tough environment in which to flourish, Pepe failed to convince Arteta, managing only 26 touches and failing to create a chance (per Opta ) before being replaced by Nketiah.
Pepe found himself on the bench for the next three league games, although Europa League goals against Molde and Dundalk helped keep him near the forefront of Arteta’s mind, before being handed a rare start against Leeds United.
This time, Pepe could not blame Kyle Walker (the City defender had kept him quiet at the Etihad), getting himself sent off for thrusting his head in the direction of Leeds defender Ezgjan Alioski.
Speaking after the game, Arteta offered no excuses for Pepe. “It is unacceptable,” admitted the Arsenal boss. “Unacceptable. At this level, you cannot do it.”
Arteta’s blunt assessment appears ominous. Since replacing Emery, the former midfielder has been ruthless in dealing with players who do not toe the line. Mesut Ozil, a player Arteta does not view as part of his plans, hasn’t played since March.
Then there was Matteo Guendouzi, who was frozen out following his post-match altercation with Brighton & Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay and subsequently sent on loan to Hertha Berlin.
Those two high-profile examples suggest that Pepe’s chances of regaining Arteta’s favour are slim. However, the Arsenal boss has also shown how he can be fiercely loyal, especially with his continued trust in David Luiz after the Brazilian’s catastrophic performance against Manchester City in June.
Arteta and Pepe shared what can be safely assumed as a forthright exchange following the Leeds game. The red card will not define the winger’s career in north London, but how he reacts to his most inexplicable indiscretion might.
He now faces a three-match suspension, ruling him out of games against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley.
While Pepe is clear to play in the Europa League during that time, he must treat his red card against Leeds as a turning point and motivation to improve.
Elland Road may have been the nadir of his Premier League career to date, but unlike someone like Ozil (with whom Arteta seems to have irreconcilable philosophical differences), there is more than enough time to put things right.
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