Nicolas Pepe must be part of Arsenal’s long-term plan

Arriving from French side LOSC Lille for the club record fee of £72m, Nicolas Pepe has been a player who has received more hate than love from Arsenal supporters. The Ivorian national took time to adjust to the style of the Premier League and has, sadly, been very inconsistent.

If you watch some of his highlights from Ligue 1, Nicolas Pepe exuded confidence, believing he can go by any defender standing in his way. He was a player who changed the outcome of games single-handedly. When Pepe first arrived at Arsenal he was a bit shy and timid, not using his talent to its full potential.

It worth remembering that he was making a transition to a new country, learning a new language and new style of play in a Premier League that is much rougher than Ligue 1. That’s why I believe a lot of the criticism on Pepe in the beginning of his career was harsh. The media hasn’t often considered the whole picture and instead zooms in on that huge transfer fee.

His career in north London seemed irreversibly on the verge of failure after his red-card headbutt on Leeds’ Alioski. Pepe cut the figure of a distant figure in the club. He was frustrated, not playing the minutes he was used to, then performing poorly when he got his chance. There was no semblance of his rhythm within the squad.

Nicolas Pepe must be part of the long-term plan at Arsenal and not be sold in the summer transfer window

Yet Pepe didn’t put his head down, he didn’t give up on the process, on his coaches or his teammates. He believed in Arsenal and continued to work hard in training as Mikel Arteta regularly pointed out. Now, it’s joyful seeing the 25-year-old play well as he clearly has the quality to become a superstar in world football.

Things have very much changed since the Leeds United match, as Pepe looks a threat featuring on either wing.

We are now getting a taste of the real Pepe and how talented he really is, especially in big games. He is finally living up to the astronomical fee paid him for, even if he likely will never be worth the insane outlay. However, he is starting to hit his stride.

In 40 matches, Nico has scored ten goals and assisted five, showcasing his threat up front. Since joining the club, he averages 0.59 goals and assists per 90 minutes. A fair return for someone as inconsistent.

Of course these numbers aren’t anything like what you’d expect from a £72m winger, but it needs mentioning that Pepe had little to no impact in the early stages of this season for Arsenal. He has already surpassed his goals tally from last season, and there is nothing to say he can’t improve upon that for next term. He so nearly got on the scoresheet against Fulham.

With speculation regarding his future, I believe these last few months have shown us why Pepe needs to be kept in the squad and not sold in the summer. There is a reason why the club spent £72m to bring him in, he’s supremely talented. He has to be seen as part of the long-term future.