Arsenal has officially terminated Nicolas Pepe’s contract, ending the Ivorian attacker’s tenure with the club. Pepe arrived at Arsenal in 2019 from Lille in a high-profile £72 million transfer, making him the Gunners’ most expensive player at the time. However, he struggled to meet the lofty expectations placed upon him during his time in North London.
The emergence of young talent Bukayo Saka saw Pepe gradually slide down the pecking order under manager Mikel Arteta. Arteta began favoring players like Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira on the right wing, further limiting Pepe’s opportunities.
In an attempt to rediscover the form that had made him a sought-after prospect in Europe while at Lille, Pepe was loaned out to Nice for the 2022–23 season. Unfortunately, his stint in Nice didn’t yield the desired results, with Pepe managing just eight goals in 28 games.
Upon his return to Arsenal, the club informed Pepe that his time with them was coming to an end. His contract had only one year left, and while he was no longer the club’s record signing—having been surpassed by Declan Rice’s £105 million transfer—Arsenal struggled to find suitors willing to pay a transfer fee.
Pepe’s contract was mutually terminated, and he is now en route to Turkish club Trabzonspor. Arsenal released a statement expressing their gratitude for his contributions and wishing him well in the future.
Initially, there were talks of a potential move to Besiktas, including a medical examination, but this deal fell through due to Arsenal changing their requirements. Trabzonspor later confirmed Pepe’s arrival by sharing a photo of him in the team jersey aboard a private jet. Pepe chose to remain in Europe despite offers from Saudi Arabia.
Pepe has signed a one-year deal with Trabzonspor, leaving his future beyond the summer of 2024 uncertain. He departs Arsenal after playing 112 games, during which he scored 27 goals and provided 21 assists. In the 2020–21 season, he had a notable performance, scoring 16 goals in all competitions, including 10 in the Premier League, and finishing second in Arsenal’s Player of the Year voting.
However, his form waned, and he managed just one goal in the 2021–22 Premier League campaign. Pepe’s departure from the Emirates this summer adds him to the list of players leaving the club, including Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Matt Turner, Granit Xhaka, Pablo Mari, Auston Trusty, Rob Holding, and Folarin Balogun.
