Arsenal record-signing Nicolas Pepe could join Ligue 1 side Nice on loan before the transfer window shuts this summer.

The Gunners signed the Ivorian for £72 million in 2019 (BBC) after his sensational campaign in France with Lille. He scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists in all competitions in his final season there, and many expected him to become a superstar at Arsenal.

However, things just haven’t worked out for Pepe at the Emirates. He has fallen down the pecking order, and it’s clear that he has no future at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal star Nicolas Pepe could join OGC Nice on loan

French outlet Nice-Matin revealed this week that Les Aiglons are now at the front of the queue to sign Pepe on a season-long loan deal, and have even established contacts with the winger’s representatives.

Arsenal have a good relationship with Nice having previously loaned William Saliba to them. The young Frenchman spent the second half of the 2020-21 season there, and he was phenomenal.

Nice are now trying their luck with Pepe and a loan deal really does seem possible.

To add fuel to all the speculations, Pepe’s new agent, Louis Ferrer, was pictured at Nice’s Allianz Riviera Stadium when they took on Strasbourg in the Ligue 1 last weekend.

Aaron Ramsey plays there now

Pepe and Aaron Ramsey never got to play together at Arsenal, but they could link up at Nice if Pepe’s move goes through.

Ramsey was adored at the Emirates, but he was allowed to leave on a free transfer in the summer of 2019. He joined Juventus that summer and after a disappointing spell there, he signed for Nice.

Pepe, despite being branded as ‘phenomenal’ by Arteta, has struggled to become a star at Arsenal, but if he returns to Ligue 1, he could set the stage on fire again. His pace and dribbling skills suit the French top-flight really well, and a move really does make sense to all parties involved.

The Ivorian has proven his class in Ligue 1 already, and with Ramsey pulling the strings from behind him, the duo could form a deadly partnership at Nice if this deal goes through.

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