Nicolas Pepe is “out of his depth” and enduring a “nightmare” at Arsenal, says Paul Merson, with the pressure of a £72 million ($96m) price tag considered to be weighing heavy on a club-record signing.
The Gunners dug deep to prise an exciting Ivorian forward away from Lille in the summer of 2019.
Pepe was believed to boast the attacking verve that would allow him to slot seamlessly into a ball-playing Arsenal side that have long been more forward-thinking than defensive minded.
Editors' Picks
The 25-year-old has, however, struggled to live up to expectations in north London, with 12 goals and as many assists recorded through 56 appearances.