According to L’Equipe, Inter Milan, Napoli, Liverpool & Arsenal have all agreed a £72 million deal in principle with Lille for the services of forward Nicolas Pépé, and the player will now decide where he wants to go.
Breaking | L’Équipe claim that the 4 clubs to have agreed circa €80m deals in principle with Lille for Nicolas Pépé are: Inter Milan, Napoli, Liverpool & Arsenal. More follows.
— Get French Football News (@GFFN) July 26, 2019
The Ivory Coast international, who ended last season with 22 goals and 11 assists, is set to resume pre-season training next week and is expected to make a decision as soon as possible.
Arsenal have already confirmed the deals for William Saliba and Dani Ceballos yesterday, and will be handed another massive boost if Pepe decides to join them.
Liverpool are the more attractive option should the Ivorian decide to move to England, though, as they offer Champions League football and are one of the favourites to win the European elite competition and Premier League next season.
However, given the quality of their current front trio – Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino – Pepe’s chances of playing regularly at Anfield are very slim.
While Arsenal will offer him that, the Lille star will also be an automatic starter at Inter Milan and Napoli – and they both offer Champions League football.
Landing the 24-year-old will massively boost the Gunners’ top-four chances next term, while the Reds will be able to go one better in their pursuit of Premier League glory after narrowly missing out on the title to Manchester City last season.
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