Lille President Reveals Asking Price for Nicolas Pepe & Explains Why Star Winger Must Leave

​Lille president Gerard Lopez has revealed just how much cash the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal or Bayern Munich will have to part with should they wish to sign the club's star winger Nicolas Pepe, a player who has 26 combined goals and assists in Ligue 1 so far this season.

Barcelona, Arsenal and Bayern have all been linked with the Ivory Coast international in recent months, with Lille expected to cash in on their prime asset this summer if an acceptable offer that meets their hefty valuation is made.

"We have refused offers in Europe at around €50m this winter," Lopez told RMC.

"From China there was an offer of €80m with an incredible salary, we knew full well that he was not going to take it," the Lille chief added. "The truth must be somewhere well above €50m and more towards the other figure, between €50m and €80m, yes."

Pepe arrived at Lille from Angers in 2017 and shone last season in a side that was almost relegated from Ligue 1. With an improved team around him, the 23-year-old has kicked on and Lille are on course to finish second this season and return to the Champions League.

Even with Lille flying high, Lopez has admitted that the club cannot afford to keep Pepe by offering the kind of salary he could now command elsewhere.

"He has now reached a level of play and ability reproduced often enough that that he must go to a big club, with four, five or six times the salary I could give him, so even if I doubled his salary..." the president conceded.