Nicolas Pepe is expected to join Nice in the coming days. A medical assessment has been scheduled in the next 24 hours, for the move to be completed.
The player will be reducing his salary demands to move to Ligue 1 on loan for the 2022/23 season. Nice will be covering the main part of his salary, while Arsenal will be covering a minor portion of his wages as well.
Nicolas Pepe to join Nice on loan
The winger has had a difficult time at the Emirates Stadium since joining from Lille. He has scored 27 goals in 112 appearances, after making the club record £72 million move. And now, the Ivory Coast winger will be moving out in search of more game time.
It is clear that he is way down in the pecking order for Mikel Arteta, with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka expected to start on a weekly basis. As a result, the wage bill has been freed up by the board by sending out the player back to France.
Once the formalities for the transfer have been taken care of, the move will be officially announced by all the parties involved. Marquinhos, the young Brazilian signed by Arsenal this summer, will instead be staying and competing for game time since he has impressed Arteta more than Nicolas Pepe.
Arsenal have also been linked with a move for Pedro Neto from Wolves. However, nothing has come to pass as of yet.
