Arsenal might save roughly £9.3 million if they sell Nicolas Pepe before the deadlines in Turkey and Saudi Arabia expire.
Nicolas Pepe is still an Arsenal player for the time being. After spending last season on loan with Nice in Ligue 1, he has failed to gain a move to any of Europe’s top six clubs, with injury limiting his ability to put himself in the shop window.
With choices decreasing, it appears that the Ivorian international’s issue may finally be resolved, bringing a conclusion to a four-year project that began with a £72 million investment.
Bukayo Saka’s growth under Mikel Arteta, as well as the Spaniard’s ideology, rendered Pepe outdated in his system. Nonetheless, the Gunners had agreed to a long-term arrangement with Spotrac that included a pay increase of £140,000 per week in 2021 from £100,000 per week.
This translates to a yearly spend of around £7.3 million. According to the Secret Scout, Arsenal are hoping for a sum in the area of £2 million to sell Pepe, with clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia still eligible to negotiate a prospective move for the 28-year-old.
With Pepe gone, the savings in salaries and the potential transfer fee amount to a £9.3 million advantage. Importantly, it is a spot in the squad saved, which, if Cedric Soares also leaves, reduces the team’s size to 24 men.