A very interesting proposition was raised recently by former Leeds striker Noel Whelan. When talking about Arsenal attacker Nicolas Pepe, he suggested the player could be a decent fit at Newcastle United.
Whelan prefaced his suggestion by admitting the 26-year-old has failed to live up to his massive fee at The Emirates. However, a loan move with an option to buy could suit all involved parties.
Here is what Whelan told Football Insider about the Ivorian a couple of days:
“He’s been a massive failure – that’s for sure.
“When you consider the money they paid for him, he’s been very average.
“It’s a really bad bit of business from Arsenal. If they can get £25million for him, they need to be taking it – even if it’s a massive loss.
“Teams will be reluctant to pay that sort of fee for an inconsistent player like Pepe, though. It may well be a loan-to-buy deal.
“He’s really not contributed enough. Whether the Premier League is too tough for him, I don’t know – we know he came from France, which is a far easier league.
“A loan move may be something that Newcastle might fancy. These are the sort of players they will be targeting. He could turn his career around and end up being that big-ticket player. But right now, it’s a gamble.”
Newcastle were interested in Pepe when he was with Anger back in 2017. He joined Lille that summer before his £72m move to Arsenal two years later. A transfer that just hasn’t clicked for whatever reason.
Recent reports have claimed that Arsenal will cut their losses on Pepe and accept a fee of around £25m. That would be a dramatic loss and one they may even have difficulty finding takers for.
Whelan’s notion of an initial loan may be the best avenue. Pepe could fill a need for Newcastle on the right-wing despite his tepid form with The Gunners. He has a decent scoring record of 16 goals in 76 Premier League appearances, only 48 of which were starts.
After scoring 16 goals in all competitions last season, he has not featured much for Mikel Arteta this term. He has only 5 Premier League starts and his lack of opportunities has been a source of frustration.
Over the latest international break, Pepe expressed his disappointment with how this season has unfolded. However, he gave a mature response when asked about his lack of starts stating:
“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.
“When a team is winning it is hard for a coach to make changes.
“Mikel Arteta has explained that to me and the coach knows what I think and how hard I’m working.
“It is also about communication. Sometimes it’s not easy to communicate with the language barrier. It has been a tough season for me.
“Of course, it is frustrating not to play. No player enjoys not playing but I have to respect the coach’s decision and the team is doing well at the moment.”
While this seems a long shot, it will be interesting to see if Pepe leaves Arsenal this summer and where he ends up. A loan with an option to buy may not be the worst idea in the world though he may not fit Newcastle’s profile this summer.
135 comments so far
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:30 PM
Comment #81CH,
The thing is, NUFC have studied the mistakes made by other clubs. They’ve actually studied Citeh. Seen their mistakes and ensured they will not make the same…
They are well aware where the likes of Manure and Everton have gone wrong. Recruitment is so important, it’s getting the right temperament of player in. Bruno epitomises where we are going. A world class player, who will get better and grow with our club. This kid along with Joelinton will dominate MFs for years with us.
Really exciting who Eddie will bring in, in the summer window. It’s all about the temperament and up and coming who he can mould into what he wants. Not maverick’s or primadonnas. Everton, Manure et al can have them. They are not welcome at SJP 😉
CLINT FLICK
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:32 PM
Comment #82Fenham
Aye.
What was that tech system they got in when Eddie arrived?
clinath@ed
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:32 PM
Comment #83Ward Prowse is 27. Perfect
clinath@ed
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:34 PM
Comment #84Agreed Fenham. More excited about the transfer window than next season 😉
coming home
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:34 PM
Comment #85Fenham
Spot on post
I would also love Bellingham I think he is a future world class player and him with Bruno and big Joe would be amazing
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:36 PM
Comment #86Paul Holmes
Hit the nail on the head #76. Bruno was most definitely one of those 30% mate
clinath@ed
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:36 PM
Comment #87Too much agreeing going on here. Am I on the right blog
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:39 PM
Comment #88Totally agreed clinath@ed mate
magicmac54
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:39 PM
Comment #89Coming Home
Evening mate, in reference to Pogba, i wouldn`t even swap Matty Longstaff for that prick, it`s all hypothetical though as the Newcastle owners wont be touching prima donnas with a bad attitude and bad character with a barge pole thank God HWTL
CLINT FLICK
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:41 PM
Comment #90Clinath
Aye, 27 is bang on.
Mmmmm!
Peace breaks out!
Football united!
😀
Romford mag
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:41 PM
Comment #91Maybe Geoff Hendrick ! 😉
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:42 PM
Comment #92Paul Holmes
Totally agree with you #76 we got one of the 30% in Bruno
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:44 PM
Comment #93CH
Bellingham is an absolute baller of a player. Any player that goes to Germany at his tender years and makes it is the right temperament.
He would be an unbelievable signing mate and an Eddie type mate for sure 😉
Romford mag
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:44 PM
Comment #94Clint
Don’t talk to soon mate ! 😳
coming home
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:45 PM
Comment #95Magic
I agree mate
I was just trying to gauge how people judged Bruno as to some of the so called world class players
CLINT FLICK
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:45 PM
Comment #96Rom
Shhhh!
😉
Romford mag
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:45 PM
Comment #97Said it before !
Can we not poach Dortmund’s head of recruitment 😀
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:45 PM
Comment #98Rom 😆
coming home
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:46 PM
Comment #99Oh fcuk Roms gunna kick off
Romford mag
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:46 PM
Comment #100Who wants it eh !!!!! 🙂
magicmac54
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:48 PM
Comment #101Coming Home
You said you wouldn`t swap Bruno for no man, what about a woman 😀 😀
coming home
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:48 PM
Comment #102Where TDS when you need him
😆
Romford mag
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:49 PM
Comment #103No , not the tea lady ffs !!! 😉
coming home
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:49 PM
Comment #104Magic
Well maybe wor Mandy
CLINT FLICK
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:50 PM
Comment #105How, no perving the boss…
😀
coming home
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:50 PM
Comment #106Rom
TDS isn’t a tea lady he is a proper sales man
CLINT FLICK
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:51 PM
Comment #107Rom
Mate, ya need 2…for joy!!!
^^^^
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:52 PM
Comment #108There is a player that Adam mentioned a while back where he’d love to see signed and that player was Mikkel Damsgaard the danish lad…
I totally agree this lad is special he could be had from Sampdoria easily. This lad would fit into our team so well. Too player who has the potential to be as good as Michael Laudrup.
magicmac54
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:58 PM
Comment #109Coming Home
For some unexplained reason i get the impression your mischievous side was trying to ignite the Bruno debate again, surly not 😀 😀 😀 😀 😀
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:58 PM
Comment #110Breaking News!!!!!!!!
Peace breaks out on the Newcastle United Blog as soon as Raj vacated ;lol:
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 8:59 PM
Comment #111😆
Raj of Hailsley
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:00 PM
Comment #112This is going to happen more and more often. “Where will Willock fit in if we sign so and so?”
He doesn’t is the answer, he is part of the squad that is fighting to get in to the team and players with the quality of Willock become your fringe players and not the stars.
Raj of Hailsley
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:01 PM
Comment #113Terry,
You can’t footin help yourself can you, get over this obsession you sad man.
Paul Holmes
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:02 PM
Comment #114Fenham don’t think he was really on the radar to start off with to us as fans anyway let’s hope we get a few more like him in the summer great time to be a fan after all the years of shit , that’s the problem living in the south east lots of piss taking but there not a bad bunch but there’s always 1 that goes to far but that’s another story lol
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:03 PM
Comment #115Breaking News!!!!!!!
Raj reappears and war breaks out again 😆
coming home
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:04 PM
Comment #116Magic
Unfortunately when the World class debate was going on I had to go play some golf
And yes I thought it was a good debate and as its quiet I thought I could get Rom to kick off
CLINT FLICK
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:05 PM
Comment #117Paul
True!
The piss taking will fall away soon, mate.
😉
Fenham to Chalfont
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:08 PM
Comment #118Paul Holmes
Couldn’t agree more mate as I have endured the same. Down here , the tide is turning the shoe will be on the other foot very soon as they say 😉
Romford mag
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:12 PM
Comment #119Clint
I’m on it 🙂
Paul Holmes
Apr 12, 2022 at 9:13 PM
Comment #120Clint flick defo m8 hid away after the Tottenham game was on the piss indoors seen it was 1-1 had just tested negative so rolled out to the pub had one in the nearest local then got to pub with football on 4-1 devastated at least there was no yids in there thank fcuk