Trabzonspor hoping to beat Besiktas to Nicolas Pepe signing
- Arsenal looking to sell Nicolas Pepe for nominal £2.6m fee
- Winger joined from Lille in 2019 for £72m
- Trabzonspor looking to win race for Ivory Coast international
Turkish Super Lig clubs Besiktas and Trabzonspor are competing to sign Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe, sources have confirmed to 90min.
The Ivory Coast international was the most expensive signing in the Gunners' history until earlier this summer when Declan Rice made the £105m move from West Ham United, with Pepe joining in 2019 for £72m from Lille.
However, Pepe fell out of favour at the Emirates Stadium during the 2021/22 season, making just 20 Premier League appearances that term. He spent the following year back in France on loan at Nice, scoring eight times in 28 matches.
Pepe returned to Arsenal this summer but was not part of their pre-season preparations for the new campaign and has long had the club's blessing to look for a new club.
90min reported earlier this week that Besiktas were close to finalising a permanent move for Pepe, but they have been joined late in the race by Super Lig rivals Trabzonspor.
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Trabzonspor, who finished sixth in Turkey's Super Lig last season, have matched Besiktas' £2.6m (€3m) bid to Arsenal, but their contract offer to the player is more lucrative.
Pepe remains one of the higher earners at Arsenal and he was already willing to take a pay cut in order to leave north London for good. The Gunners are expected to save between £7m and £9m a season by selling the winger.
He will depart the club having scored 27 goals in 112 games, laying on 21 assists and helping Arsenal win the 20219/20 FA Cup.
Turkey's transfer window closes on 15 September, so both clubs have ample time to try and thrash out a deal with Arsenal. Pepe's preference has been to remain in Europe as opposed to a move to the Saudi Pro League.
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