“I was bullied in London, I thought about quitting” says former Arsenal record signing | OneFootball

Former Arsenal record signing Nicolas Pepe has opened up about the difficult period he endured while in London, admitting that his experience with the Gunners was marred by intense criticism and personal struggles.

VILLARREAL, SPAIN: Nicolas Pepe of Villarreal CF celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Ilias Akhomach during the LaLiga match between Villarreal CF and UD Las Palmas at Estadio de la Ceramica on September 30, 2024. (Photo by Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Nicolas Pepe joined Arsenal in 2019 for a then-club record fee of £72 million from Lille, a move that was supposed to mark his rise as one of the Premier League’s top attacking talents.

However, despite some early success, things quickly took a negative turn. Reflecting on his time in London, Pepe revealed how much the weight of expectations and criticism affected him both on and off the pitch.

“I was bullied in London,” Pepe said in a candid interview with L’Equipe, via AS in their Saturday edition. “I didn’t ask for €80 million to be paid for me. It was a kind of trauma, as if my passion had been taken away.

“I had an aversion to football and thought about quitting. They were talking about me as the biggest failure* in the history of the Premier League.”

AS, Saturday 5th October 2024

Pepe’s journey to Arsenal followed a standout period at Lille, where he scored 37 goals in two seasons.

His first year at Arsenal was acceptable, with flashes of brilliance, but the second year brought harsh scrutiny despite him netting 16 goals in all competitions.

By 2022, Pepe had been loaned out to Nice before moving to Trabzonspor on a free transfer in 2023.

This summer, after a short stint in Turkey, he joined Villarreal as a free agent, hoping for a fresh start.

Nice’s Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe (R) celebrates with Nice’s French defender Melvin Bard after scoring his team’s third goal during the French L1 football match between OGC Nice and Montpellier Herault SC at the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, south-eastern France, on January 11, 2023. – (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

Since his move to Spain, Pepe has shown signs of rediscovering his form.

In Villarreal’s recent 3-1 La Liga win over UD Las Palmas, Pepe scored his first goal for the club after seven games, hinting at a possible resurgence. He also has an assist while averaging around 45 minutes per game.

However, the scars of his time in London are still fresh, and he admits that his experience at Arsenal left a lasting impact.

Despite the challenges, the Ivorian winger remains determined to move forward and prove his worth once again in Spain’s top flight.

Nicolas Pepe left celebrates with team-mates after scoring their side s first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Selhurst Park, London. Picture date: Wednesday May 19, 2021. Copyright: Justin Setterfield

Pepe’s story serves as a reminder of the immense pressure that comes with high-profile transfers, especially when expectations, and price tags, don’t align with reality.

However, with a fresh start at Villarreal, the 29-year-old could finally find the consistency and success that eluded him in England.

*It’s worth noting that ‘flop’ Nicolas Pepe scored 27 goals with 21 assists for Arsenal in 112 games. Jack Grealish, who cost Manchester City €117.5m, has scored just 14 goals, with 20 assists, in 133 games. He is not considered a ‘flop’.