Lille chief fires warning as Arsenal discover €80m price tag for winger

Lille sporting director Luis Campos has revealed it will take €80m to prise Arsenal target Nicolas Pepe away from the Ligue 1 club.

Ivory Coast winger Pepe has enjoyed a prolific first half of the season, contributing 12 goals and five assists in 19 Ligue 1 appearances. His form has attracted the interest of Arsenal, where Unai Emery has identified him as the club’s primary January target.

Reports suggested Arsenal would have to spend €50m to bring Pepe to the Premier League, but Campos has insisted the winger’s value is much higher.

He told Telefoot when asked about Pepe’s value: “€80million. But [any club] will also have to convince the player.”

If Arsenal are unwilling to spend that much on the player – who has been compared to current Gunners star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – then they could move for Boca Juniors winger Cristian Pavon as a cheaper alternative.

Emery is seeking attacking reinforcements due to the season-ending injury recently sustained by Danny Welbeck.

 

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