Arsenal have announced the signing of Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe from French Ligue 1 side Lille. The 24-year-old becomes the gunners fourth signing of what has been a successful window.
Welcome to The Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe 🤩
🇨🇮 #PepeIsHere ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/nXJIB9XdLW
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 1, 2019
The Gunners beat off competitions from Napoli, Bayern Munich and Liverpool to sign the highly-rated Ivory Coast international.
Pepe becomes Arsenal’s record signing and he will wear the No 19 shirt. According to reports, the Gunners paid a whopping 72m pounds for the services of the 24-year-old. However, a majority of that sum will be paid in instalments.
A statement on the club website read: Winger Nicolas Pepe has become our record signing after joining us from Ligue 1 club Lille. The 24-year-old Ivory Coast international completed the paperwork on his move on Thursday. He will wear the No.19 shirt.
Arsenal manager, Unai Emery expressed his delight with the club’s latest capture, saying he will add pace, power and creativity to the team.
Emery said: “Nicolas is a highly-rated and talented winger who was wanted by many of the top teams in Europe.
“Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I’m delighted he’s joining. “He will add pace, power and creativity, with the aim of bringing more goals to our team.”
Pepe is Arsenal’s fourth signing of the season following deals for Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid), Gabriel Martinelli (Sao Paulo) and William Saliba (Saint Etienne).
The gunners are still hoping to agree a deal with Celtic for the transfer of Scottish defender Kieran Tierney while Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi could depart the Emirates this summer.