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Nicolas Pepe spotted at airport ahead of possible Arsenal medical

By
Nithyanand
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Nicolas Pepe, the Ivorian winger who plays for LOSC Lille is on the verge of completing a £72m move to Arsenal as per several media outlets including BBC.

French Press Association [AFP] are now claiming that the North London club have now offered Pepe a contract worth around £138,000-a-week [€8m-per season]. On the other hand, Sky Sports are claiming that the medical will happen in the next few days.

With all the hoopla surrounding the move fans got excited when he was spotted at the Miami airport.  Pepe’s brother posted a short video on his Instagram profile and it has gotten the Arsenal fans giddy with excitement that the deal could be made official soon.

Though his destination at the time was not known, fans have started speculating that he is indeed on his way to London. If and when the move for Pepe is made official, it will be a club-record deal for the North London club.

What makes this deal even more impressive is the kind of competition that the club has beaten to secure a player of Pepe’s caliber. Some of the other clubs that were interested in the winger include Liverpool, Manchester United and Napoli with the Italians being the closest to agreeing on a deal for the Ivorian.

As for the player himself, he has grown leaps and bounds over the last few years with the 2018/19 season being a true statement of his quality. He was the star player in a Lille side that played some of the most exciting football in the French first division.

Pepe is a versatile forward/winger who is comfortable whether he is on the wings or is playing through the middle. His combination with players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette will be a dream to watch this season for all the Gunners fans.

The fact that neither of Arsenal’s strikers will be sold to make way for Pepe is significant because the Gunners cannot really to afford to lose out on such important members of the squad.

Pepe is a real statement of intent from the Gunners hierarchy proving that they indeed care about the club and want to improve what is already there. They have also shown other clubs that just because Arsenal are not in the Champions League it doesn’t mean that they can’t attract the best players. With all the wheels in motion already, the transfer is not too far away from being made official.

Arsenal midfielder appears to confirm club’s transfer deal for Nicolas Pepe

By
Nithyanand
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The Nicolas Pepe to Arsenal move has been gathering a lot of pace and now that excitement has increased due to Granit Xhaka.

According to reports in Metro, the Gunners midfielder ‘liked’ a post on Instagram regarding the club’s deal to bring Pepe to the Emirates.

This in the eyes of many fans seemed to confirm the fact that Pepe was indeed on his way to London. As per the latest reports, the Gunners have agreed a deal worth €80m for the winger and the official announcement is expected to happen soon.

This social media activity by Xhaka who is also thought to be the next captain of Arsenal has increased the excitement levels among fans. And they were also quick to note another midfielder in the form of Emile Smith-Rowe had also liked the same post.

Speaking to the media after the 2-1 defeat to Lyon in the Emirates Cup, Arsenal manager Unai Emery had this to say about the potential transfer of Pepe(as per Metro):

‘There are different players on the table. Pepe’s a very good player. We only want players who can really, really improve the squad.’

Pepe would definitely be able to add the qualities that Emery is looking for and he proved that on a consistent basis for Lille in the 2018/19 season. He ended up scoring 23 goals in just 41 games which is a great goal scoring return for a winger.

Arsenal have needed this kind of a player for a long time so the excitement among the Gunners fans is quite understandable. They will be hoping and praying that the Ivorian is able to gel right from the start with players like Ozil, Lacazette and Aubameyang. The deal to bring Pepe to the club is an incredibly smart bit of business that has been done by those in charge at the club.

He is a player that has been wanted by the biggest clubs in Europe including current Champions League winners Liverpool. Hopefully, Pepe is the kind of player that will help propel the Gunners back into the Champions League and if he is able to do that, his signing will be an unqualified success. Let us hope that the confirmation from Arsenal comes very soon.

Arsenal boss Unai Emery provides injury update on Alexandre Lacazette

By
Nithyanand
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Alexandre Lacazette

Arsenal faced Lyon yesterday in the 2019 Emirates Cup and fans got to see both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette start.

But the excitement of seeing the players in action turned a little sour when in the 12th minute, Lacazette was forced off the field.

The striker needed some treatment to be done on his ankle and was substitute presumably because the North London club did not want to take a risk.

It looked to be a serious issue at first glance but Unai Emery has confirmed that the problem is not that serious. According to Arsenal’s official website, he said:

‘We are thinking it’s not important, he decided with the doctor and with me that it is better to take no more risk. He tried to continue playing but I think it was better in the pre-season to take patience.

‘The doctor said to me he is going to check tomorrow but the thinking is that it is not important. It’s in his ankle. [A sprained ankle. He will probably be assessed over the next few days – but it’s not serious].’

Arsenal will be hoping that this is not a long-term injury as that will really derail the plans that the club has for the season. By taking Laca off, the fans also got to see Reiss Nelson in action who seized his chance and proved once again what an exciting talent he is.

As for Lacazette, last season was an impressive one as he was named as the Arsenal player of the year by the fans. This was the reward for his impressive all-round play as that saw him notch up quite a few assists as well. His partnership with Aubameyang was a big reason as to why the Gunners were able to reach the final of the Europa League.

The Emirates club start their Premier League campaign on the 11th of August against Newcastle United and the club will be hoping that the French striker will be fit enough for that game. It would not be good for the club to start off on the wrong foot.

The arrivals of players such as Dani Ceballos and Gabriel Martinelli has certainly boosted the overall quality of the squad and that was necessary for the upcoming season.

Over the course of the 2018/19 season, Lacazette developed other areas of his game apart from goal scoring and that enormously benefited the team. Fans all over will be praying for the quick recovery of the Frenchman. If Arsenal have a fit and firing Lacazette there is no telling as to how much the club can this achieve this season.

Arsenal interested in loan deal for Juventus defender Daniele Rugani

By
Nithyanand
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Arsenal are looking at bringing in Juventus center back Daniele Rugani on a loan deal, according to reports from Turin based Corriere Torino.

The report states that the defender is valued by the Serie A champions at €40m and hence the North London club are looking at a temporary deal for the moment.

The defender will be looked at with an option to buy at the end of his loan deal. But there is one factor that may hold up the deal(as per Metro) and that is the fitness of Juventus captain Giorgio Chiellini who is injured right now.

The center back is being targeted because he would be a great addition to the team which has a defense that is on the weaker side. Rugani would be looking elsewhere to play first-team football as his club just signed Matthijs de Ligt and his chances will be reduced due to that.

Captain Laurent Koscielny refused to travel with the Arsenal team on their pre-season tour of the USA and it appears that he may not be playing again for the club. And also, Rob Holding is coming back from a long-term injury and cannot be expected to start matches right now as he needs to become match fit.

Getting Rugani to the Emirates would solve a lot of these problems. And the fact that he is being brought in on a loan deal means that there will not be a lot of impact on the budget that the Gunners have set aside for the summer. It allows the club to spend more on other players.

Arsenal have been quite active in the transfer market having made three signings so far. They are also on the verge of officially making a club-record move for Nicolas Pepe. Rugani would present a very smart move for the Gunners as it solves an immediate problem that the club faces with great young talent.

The defender will play with a point to prove as he will want to show that he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level. A center back like Rugani would definitely be a welcome addition to the Emirates and fans will be hoping that this deal goes through.

Sky Sports reporter claims Arsenal are confident of agreeing Kieran Tierney deal

By
Nithyanand
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Unai Emery

Kieran Tierney and Arsenal is a transfer saga that has been going on for some time but now it seems that a resolution to this is not very far away.

It is already known that the North London club have already had two bids rejected by Celtic but the Gunners are now looking to launch another bid that is going to the convince the Scottish club.

This was confirmed by Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol who has been one of the most vocal reporters in the Tierney deal. He said on Twitter:

‘Arsenal increasingly confident deal with Celtic for Kieran Tierney is edging closer. Still no official third bid but talks suggest all parties will be satisfied when it’s submitted.’

Tierney is one player that has been chosen by Unai Emery as the left-back that he prefers to deploy. It would greatly benefit the Gunners defense if they can get such a talented player to shore up their backline.

The 22-year-old is a rapid player who has the talents to make an impact in the opposition half. This will be very useful for the way that manager Emery likes to set up his team. The full-back’s play a major role in the way the boss likes to build attacks and Tierney is the perfect man to do that job on a regular basis.

Arsenal have been very busy in the transfer window in the recent weeks with them agreeing on a deal for highly sought after winger Nicolas Pepe. Apart from this, they have also recently confirmed deals that will bring Dani Ceballos this season and William Saliba next season to the Emirates.

Adding Tierney to this would make this transfer window one that the Arsenal fans would not have expected in their wildest dreams. It is great news that the club’s hierarchy has been looking at the defensive department and giving the manager the kind of reinforcements that he needs.

Hopefully, the Emirates club will submit the third bid to Celtic soon and a deal will be finally agreed by the two clubs. Tierney is very young so he should get to spend the peak of his career with the Gunners and that is something the fans will be looking forward to.

Official: Arsenal confirm that young forward Xavier Amaechi has left the club

By
Nithyanand
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Xavier Amaechi is one of the best young talents to come out of the Arsenal academy in recent times but it’s the end of the road for him at the Emirates.

The North London have now officially confirmed that the 18-year-old forward has joined German club Hamburg. Mirror are reporting that the transfer will fetch the club a sum in the range of £2.25m.

The fee could rise based on the way that Amaechi performs. But significantly Arsenal have not included a buyback clause in this deal that would have allowed them to bring the youngster back at a future date. Ornstein revealed a few more details on the deal:

Amaechi was being chased by some of the biggest clubs in Europe including Barcelona and Bayern Munich. His decision to move to Germany has some similarities with what happened to Jadon Sancho who moved from England to Germany and has firmly established himself for Borussia Dortmund.

The promise of first-team football from the German club is what has convinced Amaechi to leave the Emirates and move abroad. Though the winger is yet to make an appearance for the Arsenal first team, he is generally regarded as one of the best up and coming talents in English football.

His path to the first team is already blocked by senior players and now you also have two exciting youngsters in Reiss Nelson and Bukayo Saka vying for a spot on the wings. This makes it even more difficult for someone like Amaechi to make an impression at the highest level.

But many fans will be feeling that the Gunners should have added a buyback clause as they may lose out on an amazing talent. Such a clause would have ensured that Arsenal will be able to buy Amaechi at a later date for a much lower price than what he would be worth.

Despite losing a player as good as Amaechi, the club willl be confident that they have the youngsters who can step up and make a mark for themselves. The addition of Gabriel Martinelli this summer is a step in that direction.

It would have been nice to have Amaechi at the club but he is at the stage where he has to play regular first-team football. Everyone associated with the club will be wishing him the best of luck and hope he does well at Hamburg.

Arsenal will pay Lille €90m for Nicolas Pepe, medical next week

By
Nithyanand
-
Unai Emery Arsenal

Nicolas Pepe is all set to make a move to the Emirates after Arsenal agreed on a deal worth £72m with LOSC Lille.

According to Express, the North London club got into the negotiations at the very last minute beating Italian club Napoli to get the deal over the line. The winger is going to have his medical for Arsenal at the end of next week.

And now a journalist from Italy, Ciro Venerato has given a few details as to how Arsenal pulled this one off from under the noses of Napoli. Venerato told CalcioNapoli24:

‘Mega offer from the Gunners: €10m signing bonus, more bonuses for the next five years, and mega commission to the twelve agents.

‘To Lille, the Gunners will pay €80m plus a further €10m in bonuses, so a total of €90m. Even the Blue [Napoli] leadership confirms the news.

Pepe goes to Arsenal and it is impossible to match the London club’s mega offer.’

The fee that has been agreed between the Gunners and Lille is a large one so it will be paid in installments. What Arsenal have been able to do is incredibly smart especially given the fact that they do not have a large budget to work with.

But the real clinching factor happens to be the commissions that will be paid to the agents. This was much higher than what Napoli were able to offer and that was the move that finally convinced Pepe’s entourage. Arsenal understood how the market worked and were able to steal Pepe from Napoli.

When Pepe finally does make a move to London, he will be all set to earn around £105,000 per week from the Gunners. He will become the fourth signing of the summer for Arsenal after the arrivals of Gabriel Martinelli, Dani Ceballos and William Saliba.

This is exciting times ahead for the Gunners fans who will be happy to see such talents move to their club. The thought of seeing Pepe combine with players like Ozil and Lacazette is a mouth-watering prospect. And the fact that the Gunners have been able to attract a player like Pepe without Champions League football is significant.

His performances in Ligue 1 last season had led to the biggest clubs go after him but to the credit of Arsenal, it is they who have signed him. Let us hope that the move is officially confirmed soon.

David Ornstein: Arsenal have agreed €80m fee for Nicolas Pepe, player to sign 5-year deal

By
Nithyanand
-

Nicolas Pepe is one player that has been attracting interest from all over Europe and now Arsenal have moved ahead of everyone and are all set to complete his signing in the next 24 to 48 hours.

BBC Journalist David Ornstein confirmed via Twitter that the London club had agreed a deal in principle with Lille worth €80m and that all that is pending is the approval of Pepe’s agent. Ornstein said:

‘Arsenal have reached an agreement with Lille to sign Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe for €80m. Paid by installments to fit #AFC budget. 5yr deal, agent agreement still needed but set to be closed in next 24/48hrs. Napoli also have an agreement with #LOSC but agent rejected the proposal.’

This is a very significant move as far as the North London club are concerned as they have beat out a lot of competition to land Pepe. Apart from Arsenal, the other clubs in contention included Liverpool, Napoli and even Manchester United.

Liverpool had the prestige of being the European Champions and Napoli had offered Pepe and Lille a very attractive financial package. But it is the one offered by the Emirates club that has made them bite the bullet and agree to a transfer for Pepe.

The increasingly likely arrival of the Lille winger means that this is probably the end of Arsenal’s pursuit of Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha who also happens to be Pepe’s teammate for the Ivory Coast team.

The 2018/19 season was a real game-changer for Pepe who went on to score 23 goals in all competitions for the French side. He is the type of winger that the Gunners have been crying out for a long time and it is a great deal of business for the club to have pulled out the bag.

Not many people would have really believed that Arsenal were going to sign Pepe especially as they did not have Champions League football to offer. But it is a testament to the club’s pulling power that such a player would choose to come to the Emirates. If and when the move is made official, it will be a status empowering move by the Gunners that will give them a real boost going into the new season.

Arsenal finally reach transfer agreement with Celtic for Kieran Tierney

By
Nithyanand
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Arsenal Stadium

The negotiations to bring Kieran Tierney to the Emirates has reached the final stages as Arsenal have agreed on a deal for the defender with Celtic.

This is as per reports coming out of ESPN Brazil who claim that both the clubs have come to an agreement regarding the fee.

A couple of bids were been made by the North London club so far but both of them were rejected by Celtic. We had heard some encouraging signs that the clubs were not that far apart in terms of a deal and it is good to see that they have finally agreed to a transfer.

This is good news for the club and everyone involved as it brings a hugely exciting talent to London. Celtic have been adamant that the North London club should be meeting their £25m valuation of Tierney and that too in a structured way the Scottish champions wanted.

Tierney is a player that has been earmarked by manager Unai Emery as the man for the defense and it is nice to see the manager get a player that he really wants. Defense has always been bit of a weak area for the Emirates club so it is encouraging that the club is recognizing its flaws and trying to rectify them.

The youngster is the ideal modern full-back who can combine attack and defense very well. This will be particularly useful for Emery who likes to make use of full-backs to provide width as well as build attacks.

Tierney has played more than 150 games for Celtic and his experience at such a young age has shown that he is a player that is worth investing in.

Arsenal have already been making moves in the transfer window as they recently confirmed the signings of Dani Ceballos and William Saliba. Though Tierney would be a more expensive player to bring in, he is one that will really enhance the squad.

The 22-year-old can secure the left-hand side of the Arsenal defense for years to come and fans will be looking forward to see him play at the Emirates. Given that an agreement has been reached, we should be expecting an official confirmation sooner rather than later.

Agent of Nicolas Pepe urges star to complete Arsenal transfer

By
Nithyanand
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Unai Emery

Nicolas Pepe, the winger who plays for LOSC Lille is being urged by his agent to choose the Gunners over other clubs that are in line for him.

According to reports in Italian publication Gianluca DiMarzio, an €80m (£72m) deal has been agreed for Pepe by Arsenal along with Napoli and Liverpool. However, Pepe’s agent wants a move to the North London club as they are willing to offer a higher commission.

Lille expect Pepe to return to training this week and it will be during this period that the winger will be making a decision on his future.

The deal for the Gunners has become a little harder to pull off as they do not have the lure of Champions League and if they manage to bring Pepe to the Emirates despite this, it will be a great deal.

After a stellar 2018/19 season, Pepe has become one of the most sought after players in the world of football today. The winger scored 22 goals in the Ligue 1 as he helped propel Lille to the Champions League. This has seen the biggest clubs in Europe chase the Ivorian and it seems that a resolution to his signature could be got very soon.

The Gunners attack is crying out for a creative presence on the wings and Pepe is just the kind of player that the club needs. Apart from that, he has developed a real eye for goal and shows how much of a threat he is going to be for the opposition defense.

Any move for the Ivorian will in all likelihood consume their entire transfer budget but given what he will be bringing to the club, it will be worth the investment. This transfer window will be closing on the 8th of August and to be honest, that is not a lot of time.

Arsenal will have to act quickly and if the words of Pepe’s agent are anything to go by, they have a real chance of getting their man.

They need to find the finances needed to convince Lille to part with their star player. Pepe would be a very exciting addition to the Gunners squad and fans will welcome him with open arms.

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