
Nicolas Pepe (foto: /)
Nicolas Pepe, Arsenal's most expensive acquisition ever, is moving to Turkey after underperforming in England.
Arsenal and Trabzonspor announced today that they have finalized Nicolas Pepe's transfer. The winger is moving to Turkey without a transfer fee, even though Arsenal paid €80 million for him in 2019. Pepe scored 27 goals in 112 matches for the London club and never replicated the outstanding performances he displayed at French club Lille before joining the Premier League.
Last season, Arsenal loaned Pepe back to France, where he played for Nice. He had a decent run, scoring 8 goals in 28 appearances, but didn't stand out. Apparently, Nice didn't want to bring him back this year. Pepe will now play for Trabzonspor, a powerhouse in Turkish football that has recently returned to prominence after a long drought.
In the 2021/22 season, Trabzonspor clinched the Turkish league title. The year before, they won the Turkish Cup, and last season they secured the Super Cup.