Nicolas Pepe has admitted it has been a ‘tough’ season for him at Arsenal and says playing international football has been more enjoyable
The £72 million transfer from Lille in 2019 has failed to establish himself in the Gunners’ starting XI, with youngsters such as Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Martin Odegaard, and Gabriel Martinelli currently ahead of him in the pecking order.
While finding consistent form has been difficult for Pepe, the 26-year-old has stated that a linguistic barrier has hindered him from acclimating rapidly.
Pepe said: “When a team is winning it is hard for a coach to make changes. Mikel has explained that to me and I know I have to work hard in training to get more playing time.
“The coach knows what I think and how hard I am working. It is also about communication. Sometimes it is not easy to communicate with the language barrier.
“It has been a tough season for me.”
Pepe scored 15 Premier League goals in his first two seasons in north London, but he has battled for opportunities this season, making only five league appearances, the last of which came in October.
Nicolas Pepe, on the other hand, has suggested that he may depart Arsenal this summer.
When asked if he could leave Arsenal, Pepe said of Ivory Coast’s friendly with England: “I am focused on how well we do until the end of the season and the club’s target, which is getting into the Champions League. Then we will see what happens.”
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