NICE today announced that forward Nicolas Pépé is among four players to be leaving the club this month, with the 28-year-old returning to his parent club, Arsenal.
The Ivorian international’s return to Ligue 1 has not gone entirely to play, with the campaign seeing Pépé struggle for both form and fitness. In 19 league appearances, the wide man has found the net six times, with another two strikes coming in Les Aiglons‘ Conference League campaign.
Pépé suffered a tendonitis issue in his knee in the lead-up to the match against his former club Lille at the end of January. He was rushed back to appear in the team’s European quarter-final against Basel – which was ultimately lost to an extra-time winner from the Swiss side – and has been sidelined again since then.
The former Angers man remains under contract with Arsenal until the end of next season, with the Gunners expected to put the player on the market this summer. Pépé was initially signed for €80m in 2019 following a 22-goal season with Lille but was unable to replicate that form in North London – although he did score 16 in all competitions in the 2020/21 season.
Eighteen-Eleven Media