Arsenal bid farewell to Nicolas Pepe on a Saturday evening, marking the end of his four-year stint with the club.
The talented winger is set to embark on a new chapter with Turkish side Trabzonspor, having reached an agreement for a short-term contract.
In 2019, the Gunners made headlines when they secured Pepe’s services for a then-club-record fee of £72 million.
Over his tenure, he made 112 appearances, netting 27 goals and providing 21 assists.
Initially a key figure in Arsenal’s squad during his first two years, Pepe’s struggle to adapt to English football led him to a loan spell at OGC Nice last season.
Unfortunately, injuries thwarted his efforts to replicate the dazzling form that had convinced the Gunners to sign him.
Arsenal issued a statement on Saturday, confirming Pepe’s departure and stating, “We can confirm that Nicolas Pepe is leaving the club. We have agreed with Nicolas to terminate his contract with immediate effect.”
During his time at the club, Pepe, an Ivory Coast international, celebrated victory in the FA Cup in 2020, where he played a pivotal role in the winning goal during the 2-1 triumph over Chelsea. He made 111 appearances for the club across various competitions.
With one year remaining on his contract, Pepe spent the previous season on loan at Ligue 1 side Nice, tallying 28 appearances and eight goals.
Arsenal expressed gratitude for his contributions and wished him well in his future endeavors.
Pepe expressed his appreciation to the Arsenal faithful on Instagram, sharing the club’s official post with the message: “Gunners Fam ❤️ salute emoji.”
Pepe’s agreement with Trabzonspor was announced prior to Arsenal’s statement, with the Turkish club sharing an image of the Ivory Coast international aboard a private jet in their home jersey, accompanied by a video message to their fans.
Cedric Soares is expected to be the next player to exit Arsenal. Reports from football.london during the summer transfer window indicated that the defender was among several players the club was open to selling.
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