Arsenal: 3 reasons to still believe in Nicolas Pepe

2. £72 million demands it

Arsenal have invested £72 million and a substantial wage packet in Nicolas Pepe. He may not have lived up to the expectations of that investment, but he also requires time to reach that level.

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Realistically, Arsenal are not in a position to move on from Pepe. Even with young players like Reiss Nelson, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli emerging as genuine starting options in the wide positions next season, the club is not in a financial position to simply move from a £72 million investment.

While it is obviously foolish to compound a mistake by allowing it to fester and not moving on and ammending it, Pepe has shown enough that he can yet reach a level that makes the money invested him worth it.

As a result, Arsenal should wait out his difficulties, allow him to fully settle into London life and the Premier League, which is notoriously challenging, let him grow as he reaches his prime, and hope that he can yet come good on that significant investment. They are not in a position to flush £72 million down the drain. Belief, then, is required.