Arsenal may hold €80 million transfer regret over “dangerous player” says Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been keen to praise the work of Nicolas Pepe at Villarreal, in a significant up-turn in form following his exit from Arsenal.

The Catalan coach was speaking after seeing his City side record a commanding 0-2 victory over Villarreal at Estadio de la Cerámica in the UEFA Champions League secured through first-half strikes from Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva.

That result also saw Manchester City finally end their barren run of away fixtures without victory in European competition, with the result on Tuesday night being their first such success in over a year.

Pep Guardiola’s side looked sharp from the opening whistle, pressing high and attacking with intent. Haaland, continuing his remarkable run of form with 24 goals in just 14 appearances this season, opened the scoring by meeting a precise low cross from Rico Lewis.

Bernardo Silva then doubled the advantage before the interval, nodding home Savinho’s delivery to give City complete control. Villarreal rallied in the second period, with Nicolas Pepe among their brighter performers in the final third, though Guardiola’s men remained defensively resilient to close out a professional victory.

Speaking to reporters after City’s 0-2 win away at Villarreal this week, Pep Guardiola was quizzed for his thoughts on former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe.

“He’s really good. It’s a long time ago he played in Arsenal, I’m happy that he’s playing here [at Villarreal],” said Guardiola.

The City head coach continued, “But I’m pretty sure when Arsenal paid the amount of money they paid [€80 million in 2019] it’s because he’s a really good player. Otherwise it wouldn’t have happened, that.

“He’s a dangerous player; in the final third, one-against-one, but I think Josko [Gvardiol], Jeremy [Doku], Bernardo [Silva], they defended him really well.”

Pepe’s resurgence in Spain has not gone unnoticed, with the Ivorian winger rediscovering the form that once made him one of Europe’s most sought-after attackers at French giants LOSC Lille.

Having struggled for consistency in the Premier League, his performances in La Liga and Europe under Villarreal’s new management have reminded many of the qualities that once persuaded Arsenal to part with a club-record fee.

For Pep Guardiola, such a turnaround represents a broader reminder of the unpredictable nature of careers. The City boss has often spoken about the importance of systems and player compatibility, and Pepe’s strong performances may yet serve as a testament to that idea.

If his current form continues, Arsenal’s decision to part ways with the winger could increasingly look like a case of right player, wrong club. Meanwhile, Guardiola’s acknowledgment of his threat only underlines the respect Pepe has earned back.