Back to the Soccer Newsfeed

Love at First Sight: How Nicolas Pepe Sent Europe's Top Clubs Weak at the Knees

As he settled into his seat at Stade Raymond Kopa, Marcelo Bielsa was excited about what he was about to see. At the same time, he knew exactly what he was about to see.

It was May 20, 2017, the final day of the French top-flight season, and Bielsa was attending a game between Angers and Montpellier. He was due to take over as Lille coach at the end of the season, and Angers winger Nicolas Pepe had been identified as a key transfer target. This being Bielsa, he had already watched footage of every single Ligue 1 game Pepe had played up to that point.