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Aron Wright - August 7, 2019
Arsenal are reportedly very close to landing Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe from French side Lille this summer and, while the 24-year-old was a top target for Napoli, Carlo Ancelotti claims he isn’t disappointed.
Pepe scored 22 goals for Lille in Ligue 1 last season and is one of the most sought-after attackers in Europe at the moment. He’s been linked with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, but a bid of £72m bid from Napoli was accepted last week, leaving it up to Pepe to make the decision on his future.
On Saturday, however, it was reported that Arsenal were closing in on the player’s signature, having also agreed over a £72m deal with Lille. And, following a 3-0 win over Liverpool on Sunday, the Napoli boss seemed resigned to missing out on the attacker due to the Gunners’ interest.
Arsenal, who were expected to improve after the departure of Arsene Wenger last year, did not make any progress under Unai Emery and ended up finishing fifth in the Premier League in the Spaniard’s first year as manager.
Keen on avoiding last season’s mistakes, Emery is desperate to improve his squad and has made major strides ahead of the upcoming term. The Londoners recently completed a loan deal that saw central midfielder Dani Ceballos leave Real Madrid for the Emirates, while Pepe is thought to be nearing a permanent move.
They’re also reportedly confident a deal can be reached with Scottish club Celtic for highly-rated defender Kieran Tierney despite having two offers for the player knocked back so far.
With London rivals Chelsea currently banned from signing players until next summer, there is an opportunity for Emery’s side to steal a march on the Blues in the top flight and get back into the top four.
As it stands, William Hill has them at 11/10 to finish in the top four, with Chelsea also the very same. United are at 1/1 with Ladbrokes while Bet365 has Tottenham Hotspur at 1/2.
As for their chances of winning the league, Arsenal are 50/1 with Paddy Power, and understandably so, given that current champions Manchester City and Liverpool are the teams best equipped for the challenge. Meanwhile, betting should be in full swing as the 2019/20 season is set to kick off on August 9 and fans keen on securing punts.
The defending champs are 1/2 with Bet365 while Jurgen Klopp’s Reds are 9/4 with Ladbrokes, who have Spurs at 16/1. The Blues are at 28/1 with William Hill while Manchester United have been hit with 40/1 odds on a top-flight triumph.
If Arsenal do sign Pepe, their chances of finishing in the top four or possibly winning the league should be heightened as the Ivory Coast international will significantly improve their attack. But they still have quite a lot to do to catch up with City or Liverpool.
