Jermaine Jenas has labelled Arsenal’s signing of Nicolas Pepe, “bad business”
The Gunners signed the Ivorian winger from Lille for £72m in the summer. He was expected to set fires in the Premier League after having an impressive season in the French Ligue 1.
He has, however, struggled with inconsistent form this season and although he has already scored 8 goals and provided 9 assists in all competitions for the Gunners this season, Jenas still thinks that signing him is awful business based on his output so far.
The former Tottenham man was naming players who haven’t justified their transfer fee this season, and he added Pepe’s name.
Jenas told Radio 5 Live, as quoted by HITC: “Oh god. yeah. That’s up there with Joelinton, I think. It’s the money, it’s as simple as that.
“The amount of money that has been spent on him in terms of what he has delivered and what you can actually see.
“Everyone can have a bad season.
“I don’t remember it but a lot of people talk about Henry’s first season at Arsenal and that it didn’t quite go for him straight away.
“And they kind of lean on that quite a lot in terms of these types of signings in that he will get it right.
“I have just not seen it with this particular player. So that business there looks bad business, at the minute.”
Pepe will be hoping to have a better impact on the Arsenal team next season, but the Gunners will hope that he will be able to fire the team to win the FA Cup final against Chelsea next weekend.
I also think Jenas is being a little harsh, has Pepe justified his fee? no, he has not, however, he has had three managers, a disrupted season and a toxic atmosphere around the club.
If he does not improve next season then fair enough, criticise the signing but at least give the young man a whole uninterrupted season under one manager to show his true worth.
