Arsenal keen to offload £72m flop Nicolas Pepe this summer | OneFootball

Arsenal are keen to offload Nicolas Pepe following his fairly successful one-year loan spell at OGC Nice, according to the Telegraph.

The Gunners have no plans to reintegrate the 28-year-old forward into their first team plans despite a shortage of right-wing options besides Bukayo Saka.

Pepe joined Arsenal in a club record £72 million deal from Lille and spent four years as part of the Gunners set-up.

However, he failed to justify his enormous price tag, bagging 27 goals and 21 assists in 112 appearances.

Pepe’s career at the Emirates Stadium went downhill, and the Frenchman spent the last season on loan at Nice, but they have opted against signing him on a permanent deal.

The Ivory Coast international was part of the Nice squad that massively underwhelmed in the French top flight. He scored eight times in 28 games across all competitions as Le Gym finished ninth in the league.

Pepe has just one year left on his current deal, and Arsenal are keen to offload him this summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer at the end of next season.

They are actively seeking buyers, hoping to generate a transfer fee for the Ivorian amid plans to reinforce Mikel Arteta’s squad after returning to the Champions League for the first time in seven years.

Pepe is one of the highest earners on Arsenal’s books, and with only 12 months left on his deal, the Gunners could terminate his contract by the end of the summer window if an offer does not arrive.

Cedric Soares, Granit Xhaka and Kieran Tierney could also be heading for the exit as Arteta hopes to raise enough funds to kick-start a summer spending spree.

The Gunners are poised to smash their record transfer with a move for West Ham United captain Declan Rice, who could become the most expensive player in Arsenal history.