Arsenal are reportedly looking into a move for highly-rated Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe as they seek to find a replacement for Danny Welbeck at the end of the ongoing campaign.
Welbeck sustained a serious ankle injury during the recent Europa League clash against Sporting and he has since undergone a double operation which is likely to sideline him for the rest of the season.
Amidst this, Sky Sports has indicated that the Englishman could be released on a free when his contract expires in seven months’ time and it appears that the club are already on the hunt for a replacement.
According to Mercato365, Unai Emery’s men are among a host of clubs keeping tabs on Pepe, who has excelled for Lille this campaign with 10 goals and five assists in the French top-flight.
However, any approach could be reserved until the end of the campaign with the forward likely to consider the move only if the Gunners manage to return to next season’s Champions League.
Pepe has generally featured on the right side of the attack for Lille with success but he is capable of featuring either upfront or in the second striker position which seems to have caught the Gunners’ radar.
Nonetheless, the assurance of regular gametime could also play a key role in luring the French-born star next summer and it will be interesting to see how the transfer saga unfolds with interest from several other elite clubs across Europe.
Arsenal dropped to the fifth position in the standings after the recent 2-2 Premier League draw at Manchester United but they can break into the top-four once more this weekend with a win over Huddersfield Town combined with one of Tottenham or Chelsea dropping points.
