4 transfers Arsenal should complete before the deadline

Departure #2: Nicolas Pepe

Rumours have surfaced recently that French side Nice are open to a loan move for Nicolas Pepe this summer and, with the Ivorian ranked quite low in the pecking order and desperate for a fresh start elsewhere, Arsenal will be keen to grant him his wish as soon as possible.

A temporary arrangement is admittedly not ideal as it maintains the Gunners’ ties to an unwanted player for another 12 months, and the two years left on his Emirates contract mean he may well become just the latest record signing to exit the club on a free transfer.

But a conspicuous lack of offers for his services indicates that the focus will now be to cooperate with our Ligue 1 counterparts and, at the very least, further alleviate the strain on the club’s wage bill – something that might make the crucial difference if Arsenal are to add to their squad later in the window.

To reignite his career in the familiar environs of French football and perhaps facilitate a late splurge in north London, any deal to move Pepe on over the next fortnight would be warmly welcomed.

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