Arsenal: Nicolas Pepe’s final chance at Gunners success

What is Nicolas Pepe? Is he a winger or an inside forward? Is he skilful or clumsy? Has he already peaked or is he yet to blossom at Arsenal? Above all, is he actually any good?

Of course he’s good. He’s better than good. He’s exceptionally talented on the occasions that ability works its way into the public eye.

While all six of the summer signings that were brought in play in positions other than his, the arrival of Martin Odegaard has pushed Pepe further down the front four pecking order.

With Bukayo Saka an certified starter, Emile Smith Rowe coming on leaps and bounds and Odegaard’s £34m addition unlikely to make him bit-part member of the first team, there is no open invitation for Pepe in the starting lineup.

Behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang the aforementioned trio will assume the preferred final pieces of the attacking puzzle. Pepe is due to make do on the bench more often than not.

This season is Nicolas Pepe’s final chance at Arsenal success as his form must reach a level worthwhile enough to not sell him next summer

But there is always something – excuses, more like – to unearth hope of him exploding like he did at the end of last season on a regular basis:

• ‘It’s because none of the right-backs complement him’
• ‘Arteta plays him too wide’
• ‘He hasn’t been given a proper run in the team’
• ‘Play him down the middle’

This is now his third season at the club. At 26 years old he’s a senior member of this squad. This is supposed to be his prime.

Still yet to see that in anything other than spits and spurts, the vast improvements made from his Premier League red card at Leeds onwards hint towards him reaching a level closer to justifying his price tag than before. Never, ever, will he come close to being a £72m player, but the form he’s shown over the past six months is as near to that as he’s been.

Nonetheless, he has to earn his place in the side, prove his value whether off the bench or from the start or it is time to call it quits. At the end of the season he will have two years left on his contract and if he doesn’t produce form shown in Ligue 1 – not just show signs of it – then a sale should be sought. There will be buyers. Not £72m buyers, but buyers.

It’s frustrating as he is supremely talented and, you could argue, the best finisher at the club behind Aubameyang. He also is a transition footballer who thrives in counter-attacking sides and who’s only truly of use in and around the penalty box – traits not greatly desired in Arteta’s approach.

There is scope for a successful season for Pepe. He’s looked sharp and fit up until now and bursting with a hunger to succeed. As fans, however, it’s getting to the stage where we’re resigned to his ceiling having already been met.

Throughout the season he’ll be brilliant and infuriating in equal measure. Establishing that the majority falls on the former is the only way to salvage his time at Arsenal as Arteta will already be eyeing what could follow the Ivorian.

Now it’s on him to ensure this isn’t his Arsenal swansong.