Mikel Arteta is convinced Nicolas Pepe will fulfill all expectations, provided he manages to provided he trains well enough.
The Ivory Coast international arrived for a club-record fee of £72m last summer and has yet to full set his feet in English football.
Pepe showed fans glimpses of his brilliance through his two free-kicks against Vitoria SC last month, to save Arsenal from the brinks of an embaressment. He also struck a wonder goal in the 3-1 victory over West Ham United to end their 12-game winless run in the Premier League.
Arteta has not been able to integrate Pepe into the squad due to the 24-year-old suffering knee injury. However, the Spaniard believes in his talent and is convinced he could be a real asset.
“I think it was obviously a big change for him to come here from France,” said Arteta. “He found a team that, at that moment, wasn’t performing at their best. The environment for him to settle wasn’t ideal. It’s not only about him. We are here to help him. If he’s willing to learn, if he’s willing to work hard, I am sure he has the potential to be top, absolutely top.
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“Today he showed in two or three actions how good he can be. But he has to be consistent. The problem with the confidence is that the confidence is only good if he plays. If he trains well enough to convince me, then I have confidence in him. There has to be a mix between the two.”
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