The Ivorian has struggled to live-up to his club-record transfer fee, leaving a former Arsenal star unimpressed.
Paul Merson reckons Nicolas Pepe looks ‘out of his depth’ and has been living a ‘nightmare’ ever since he joined Arsenal in 2019.
The 25-year-old winger arrived in north London last year for a club-record fee of €80m following a breakthrough campaign with Lille, but has struggled to carry over his Ligue 1 form over to the Premier League.
This season alone, in fact, has seen Pepe register just one goal and two starts in the Premier League.
After his controversial headbutt in the goalless stalemate against Leeds, however, Pepe delivered a solid response in scoring the opening goal in Arsenal’s 3-0 Europa League win over Molde on Thursday.
But it turns out that’s not enough.
“Nicolas Pepe looks out of his depth and he’s going to have to do it against much better teams than Molde to change my opinion,” Merson told the Daily Star.
“I can understand how he got sent off in the Leeds game. He’s been having a nightmare ever since he joined Arsenal, and one Europa League goal in Norway won’t change that.
“He let his frustration get the better of him against Leeds and did something silly with the headbutt, because things haven’t been going well for him at Arsenal for months.
“He came in for £70-odd million. If they’d bought him for £20m nobody would be moaning. But the fee brings pressure, and he’s not been able to handle it.
“I watch him play and I don’t know what he brings to the table. But it’s not his fault Arsenal are struggling.
“I don’t think Mikel Arteta knows his best team and he’s been there a long time now. He keeps changing it too much. It’s worrying.
“He plays Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang upfront and he brings absolutely nothing to the party. Again.
“If you’re playing Arsenal right now, you’re disappointed if you don’t get something. Leeds looked a better side to me in that game.
“Arteta is safe as houses. He’s going to get time. But he needs to find his best team and stick with it, because it’s not working right now.”
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