‘I ask Arteta’ – Arsenal star who ‘could have been important’ in title tilt ‘has to be given a chance’

Nicolas Pepe ‘has to be given a chance’ to show what he can do under Mikel Arteta next season, according to ex-Arsenal star Emmanuel Eboue.

Pepe arrived under huge pressure having completed a £72m from Lille – where he scored 37 goals in 80 appearances – in the summer of 2019.

He became the fourth most expensive signing in Premier League history but struggled for form and opportunity at the Emirates, scoring 27 goals in 112 games across three seasons before being shipped out on loan at the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

Pepe has failed to refind his feet at Nice, scoring eight times in all competitions, and the Ligue 1 club have decided against making his move permanent.

A report in in March suggested Pepe would be , but Eboue has urged Arteta to give him another shot.

He told Ladbrokes: “It’s going to be very hard for Nicolas Pepe to get back into this Arsenal team.

“Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have had unbelievable seasons, and you know the manager is going to stick with those two players out wide, so Pepe has to work hard when he comes back. He needs to work harder than Martinelli and Saka.

“I don’t see Mikel Arteta changing those two wingers, so Pepe needs to force himself into Arteta’s thoughts and plans. I’d be really happy to see him at Arsenal next season, though. And I ask that Arteta gives him a chance.

“When a player like Pepe arrives, for so much money, he needs to play. He needs to prove himself. The club spent a lot of money on him; he was supposed to be a regular player for this team.

“He had such a good season at Lille, which encouraged Arsenal to spend so much money on him. Things didn’t work out for him, especially under Arteta.

“The manager wants his players to work hard, but Pepe is coming back into a different team, so I think he has to be given a chance; an opportunity to show what he can do.

“When he’s playing well, he’s so good. But he left the club when he was in a really low place. I want him to work hard, and I want Arteta to give him a chance.”

Asked about his future last month, .

“There are two important months to come for this club. I want to concentrate on that and I’m not sure after that.

“There will be discussions (with Arsenal).

“I don’t know what Arsenal want. I still have a lot of friends there.

“I could have been important for the club, but those are the coach’s choices.”