Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe 'sees Saudi Arabia move fall through'

Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has reportedly seen a move to Saudi Arabia break down.

The Ivory Coast international has failed to live up to expectations since arriving from Lille in a £72m transfer in 2019.

Pepe spent the 2022-23 season on loan with Ligue 1 side Nice, where he scored eight goals and provided one assist in 28 appearances.

There was no obligation to buy clause included in Pepe's loan deal, and he has now returned to Arsenal after Nice decided against pursuing a permanent transfer.

With Pepe behind the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard in the pecking order, he is widely expected to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer.

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According to CBS, Pepe was in discussions over a move to an unnamed Saudi Arabian club, but talks over a potential deal have broken down.

The report claims that Pepe was offered a financial package that included €5m (£4.3m) salary and significant bonuses, but the club have seemingly ended their interest and moved on to other targets.

As a result, Arsenal will have to consider other options for Pepe, who was recently left out of the club's pre-season tour of the USA.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has since revealed that Pepe was left out of the squad due to injury rather than a selection decision.

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When asked about Pepe's future, Arteta told reporters: "At the moment he's recovering from an injury. That's why he's not here.

"He had a spell on loan and we wanted to get more from that loan spell. We'll have to see when he comes back. Have a chat with him. Understand what his plans are and make a decision."

With 12 months remaining on Pepe's current deal, there has been a suggestion that Arsenal could terminate his contract if they cannot find a new club for the winger.

The Ivorian has made a total of 112 competitive appearances for the Gunners, scoring 27 goals and providing 21 assists.