‘He is not in my plans anymore’: Arteta told Edu to get rid of another underperforming Arsenal player before the break is over
According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal’s star has agreed to a short-term contract with Turkish club Trabzonspor.
The 28-year-old spent last season on loan at OGC Nice in Ligue 1 before returning to north London earlier this summer.
However, it rapidly became evident that the Ivory Coast international was not in Mikel Arteta’s plans for the 2023/24 season, and he is now thought to be on the verge of joining Trabzonspor, having undergone a medical on Friday.
“Nicolas Pépé to Trabzonspor,” Romano wrote on X (previously Twitter). On Friday, medical testing will be performed.
“Short-term contract until June 2024.” The player will be leaving later tonight. “There you have it, confirmed.”
That means the Gunners will save millions in salary, since Spotrac claims Pepe was paid £7.28 million per year at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal sporting director Edu would be delighted to reduce the pay cost, having previously stated his aim for a sustainable salary structure.
“If a guy is performing and has a big salary, that’s not a problem,” Edu stated last year. “When a player is 26 or older with a large salary and isn’t performing, he’s killing you.”
“You don’t have a valuation to sell the player, the player is comfortable — Arsenal, London, beautiful, everything is fantastic — and the player is earning a good salary.”
How many players with those attributes have we had in the past? Eighty percent of the team.
“Try to avoid another year with the dressing room issue.” Remove it. Even if you have to pay because that person occasionally blocks someone.
