- Pepe has spoken out about Arteta's decision to loan him
- Winger failed to make impression under Spanish coach
- Claims he could have been 'important' for the Gunners
WHAT HAPPENED? Pepe endured a tough time at Arsenal and failed to nail down a consistent starting place. He joined Nice on loan for the season and has scored six goals in 17 appearances thus far. He has now called into question Mikel Arteta's "choices" as he believes he could have been an important player for the Gunners in their Premier League title push.
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WHAT HE SAID: Speaking in a press conference, Pepe said: "I don’t know what Arsenal want. I still have a lot of friends there. I could have been important for the club, but those are the coach’s choices."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Arsenal are enjoying a sensational season and are eight points clear of chasers Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. Their current crop of wingers, including Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, have all been pivotal to their success, with Saka in particular having emerged as one of the top players in Europe this season.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR PEPE & ARSENAL? It is unclear if the Ivorian will return to the Emirates in the summer, with Pepe adding: "I am very happy at Nice. There are two important months to come for this club. I want to concentrate on that and I’m not sure after that. There will be discussions."
In the more immediate future, Arsenal are looking to secure a first Premier League title since 2004 as they kick-off their run-in against Leeds on April 1, before facing Liverpool a little over a week later.