Arsenal target pulls off sublime assist in Lille win

 

Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for Lille star Nicolas Pepe in recent months and it’s not hard to see why. The Ivorian has been in sensational form for the Ligue 1 side this season, scoring 13 and registering seven assists to return a WhoScored rating of 7.52. 

 

He had a direct hand in all of Lille’s three goals in their 3-1 win over Caen on Friday night in a man of the match display that saw Les Dogues move four points clear of Lyon in second, who themselves slipped up in their 1-1 draw with Reims. 

 

Indeed, Pepe’s fine form hasn’t gone unnoticed across Europe, with Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona, along with Arsenal, all courting the 23-year-old. If his performance on Friday night was anything to go by; Lille can command a high fee for the youngster. 

 

Having set Lille on the path for all three points, Pepe played an influential role in the away side doubling their advantage. Pepe played a sublime through ball for Rafael Leao to race onto and dispatch past Caen goalkeeper Brice Samba. 

 

 

It was another example of Pepe’s talent and will have only added to his growing list of admirers. Lille went down to 10 men with six minutes remaining as Mehmet Zeki Celik saw red, which could have set up a nervy finish for Christophe Galtier’s side, yet Pepe again got in on the act again as he provided the assist for Luiz Araujo in injury. 

 

Casimir Ninga notched a late consolation for Caen, but it was Pepe who stole the spotlight on Friday night. Two assists and one goal also means Pepe has had a direct hand in 20 goals this season, more than any Ligue 1 player, as he pulled three clear of Kylian Mbappe. Similarly strong showings in the final third means Lille will find it difficult to retain the services of their star man, but they can rest easy knowing they can demand a substantial fee when the time comes to sell.

Arsenal target pulls off sublime assist in Lille win