Mikel Arteta has been urged to recall record signing Nicolas Pepe next season.
Much was expected of Ivory Coast winger Pepe after he completed a £72m move to the Emirates Stadium in 2019.
Pepe had spent two productive seasons at Lille, where he scored 37 goals in 80 appearances, and became the fourth most expensive signing in Premier League history when he joined Arsenal.
But the 27-year-old has struggled for consistency in north London – scoring 27 goals in 112 matches over three seasons before being sent out on loan at the start of the 2022-23 campaign.
Pepe has continued to underwhelm at Nice – netting just eight goals in all competitions – and the French club are
Arsenal could put Pepe up for sale and try to recoup some of the £72m they spent almost four years ago, but Emmanuel Eboue believes they should give the Ivorian another chance in the Premier League.
Eboue, who played for Arsenal between 2004 and 2011, told : ‘It’s going to be very hard for Nicolas Pepe to get back into this Arsenal team.
‘Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have had unbelievable seasons, and you know the manager is going to stick with those two players out wide, so Pepe has to work hard when he comes back. He needs to work harder than Martinelli and Saka.
‘I don’t see Mikel Arteta changing those two wingers, so Pepe needs to force himself into Arteta’s thoughts and plans. I’d be really happy to see him at Arsenal next season, though. And I ask that Arteta gives him a chance.
‘When a player like Pepe arrives, for so much money, he needs to play. He needs to prove himself. The club spent a lot of money on him; he was supposed to be a regular player for this team.
‘He had such a good season at Lille, which encouraged Arsenal to spend so much money on him. Things didn’t work out for him, especially under Arteta.
‘The manager wants his players to work hard, but Pepe is coming back into a different team, so I think he has to be given a chance; an opportunity to show what he can do.
‘When he’s playing well, he’s so good. But he left the club when he was in a really low place. I want him to work hard, and I want Arteta to give him a chance.’
Arsenal challenged for the Premier League title for much of the season but a late collapse means they will finish second behind Manchester City.
The Gunners conclude a largely encouraging campaign on Sunday when they play host to Wolves.
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