Leeds United 'among clubs interested in Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe'

Leeds United are reportedly among a number of European clubs who are interested in signing Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe.

The 27-year-old has struggled to reach the heights expected at the Emirates Stadium following his club-record £72m transfer from Lille in 2019.

Pepe started only five of his 20 Premier League appearances last season and recorded just one goal and two assists.

With the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe all seemingly ahead in the pecking order, the Ivory Coast international is allegedly open to leaving the club this summer.

According to Diario de Sevilla, both Leeds and Sevilla have expressed their interest in signing Pepe, who is valued by the Gunners at around £25m.

© Reuters

The report adds, however, that the La Liga club may struggle to finance a deal for Pepe as they are only willing to pay around £15m for the winger at present.

There also concerns over Pepe's wages, with Sevilla hoping the 27-year-old would be prepared to reduce his £100,000-per-week salary.

Leeds, meanwhile, have allegedly identified Pepe as a potential replacement for Raphinha, who is on the verge of completing a €58m (£49.2m) switch to Catalan giants Barcelona.

The Whites have already made six summer signings after avoiding relegation from the Premier League last season, and Jesse Marsch is now looking to bring in attacking reinforcements ahead of the new campaign.

It is thought that Pepe has now been added to a long list of attacking targets for Leeds, which also includes the likes of Club Brugge's Charles De Ketelaere, Paris Saint-Germain's Arnaud Kalimuendo and Inter Milan's Joaquin Correa.

© Reuters

Both Leeds and Sevilla could face competition from French duo Marseille and Lyon, though, who are interested in bringing the Ivorian winger back to Ligue 1 where he excelled before joining Arsenal three years ago.

Pepe spent two years with Lille between 2017 and 2019 and recorded 37 goals and 18 assists in 79 appearances across all tournaments.

In his final season for Les Dogues, the winger won the club's Player of the Year award and was also named in the 2018-19 Ligue 1 Team of the Season, after scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists in 38 French top-flight games.

Pepe is currently away with Arteta's 33-man squad for their tour of the USA, and before flying across the pond he played in Arsenal's 5-3 friendly victory over Nurnberg in Germany last week.