Nicolas Pepe On Arsenal Exit: '£72M Price Tag Made It Tough'

Nicolas Pepe has acknowledged the difficulty of leaving Arsenal, attributing much of the criticism he faced in the Premier League to his £72 million price tag. Pepe, who transferred from Lille to Arsenal in 2019, moved permanently to Turkish club Trabzonspor last year on a free transfer.

The Ivorian's arrival in North London came with significant expectations as he became Arsenal's most expensive signing at the time, surpassing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's £56 million move from Borussia Dortmund. Although Declan Rice's £100 million transfer from West Ham last year has since eclipsed this record, Rice thrived in his first season with the Gunners.

Pepe made 112 appearances for Arsenal, scoring 27 goals and providing 21 assists during his four-year tenure in the Premier League. Reflecting on his time at Arsenal, Pepe told BBC Sport about his struggles: "It wasn't easy at all. And the fans weren't happy with how I was performing."

"When I first joined, the fans weren't really judging my performances; they were judging the price tag," Pepe explained. "But I think I did some great things while at Arsenal. I don't regret my time there." He added that being the club's highest signing led to unrealistic expectations for him to score in every match.

The Premier League has witnessed a surge in inflated fees recently, with an estimated £1.5 billion spent on player transfers during the 2023-24 season. Pepe emphasized that these fees are beyond players' control: "If Arsenal bought me for £20 million, maybe it'd be different," he said. "It's not the player's fault. They don't ask for £100 million or £90 million."

Comparisons with Other Players

Pepe also mentioned other high-profile players like Mykhailo Mudryk and Antony who have faced similar scrutiny despite their talents: "There are also players like [Mykhailo] Mudryk and Antony who don't perform at their best all the time, and yet they're not bad players."

Mikel Arteta's squad is currently in the United States for pre-season training as they prepare to challenge Manchester City's dominance as Premier League champions next season. Last term, Arsenal finished second behind City, amassing 89 points—their highest total since their last league title win in the 2003-04 season.

Pepe's reflections highlight the pressures associated with high transfer fees and fan expectations in modern football. His experience underscores that performance should be judged independently of financial considerations.