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A former Arsenal player has spoken of unfulfilled expectations despite the club’s heavy investment.
Nicolas Pepe has opened up about his challenging time at the Emirates Stadium following his record £72million (€80m/$90m) move to Arsenal in 2019.
Pepe’s average Arsenal spell
Even though he won the FA Cup with the North London club in 2020 under Mikel Arteta, setting up Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng’s winning goal against Chelsea, the Ivorian’s 27 goals in 112 appearances fell short of expectations, having netted 37 times in 80 appearances for Lille.
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In a recent interview, Pepe discussed the weight of his hefty transfer fee and the pressure it placed on his performance.
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What Pepe said about Arsenal spell
The Ivorian acknowledged the difficulties of adapting to a new league and environment after leaving France for the first time in his career.
He believes that the scrutiny and criticism he faced were amplified due to his high price tag, with fans and pundits expecting an immediate and substantial return on the club's investment.
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The winger admitted that the pressure to consistently deliver goals and assists took a toll on him, highlighting the unrealistic expectations placed on him, comparing them to the extraordinary output of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
“When a club pays that much for you, the little details don’t matter,” Pepe told The Athletic. “I was young; it was the first time I had left France to play abroad. I had to adapt in lots of ways, but people don’t see that. They only see what happens on the pitch.
“Automatically, the first player to be criticised is the one that cost a lot of money. You have to be getting goals and assists, goals and assists. People expected 30, 35, 40 goals a season. But it was only Messi and Ronaldo who did that.
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“Arsenal spent a lot of money on me and I paid the price for it.”
Despite showing flashes of brilliance, he struggled to consistently perform at the level required to justify his transfer fee.
He left on loan to Nice in the 2022-23 season before departing for Trabzonspor on a free transfer last year. Pepe joined Villarreal on a free transfer in August 2024.
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What next for Pepe?
Pepe was uninvolved in Villarreal's LaLiga draw at Osasuna on Sunday. The Yellow Submarine are next in league action on Sunday, December 1.
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