As they try to recover some money and increase their transfer budget this summer, Arsenal may sell one of their stars to Saudi Arabia.
Declan Rice is rumoured to be close to signing a contract, and the Gunners have big plans for the transfer window. With players like Kieran Tierney, Albert Sambi Lokonga, and Folarin Balogun being sought after by European teams, Arsenal—which has struggled to offload players since the end of the Arsene Wenger era—might buck the trend this summer.
It’s interesting to note that two other celebrities are actively seeking new opportunities. One of them might join the likes of Steven Gerrard, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo in moving to the Middle East by signing with the Saudi Pro League.
Both Cedric Soares and Nicolas Pepe, the latter of whom the Saudi Pro League is interested in, are reportedly looking to leave the Emirates Stadium after loan stints, according to journalist Chris Wheatley.
Pepe joined Arsenal in 2019 for £72 million, setting a new record for the club and making a bold purchase under Unai Emery. The Ivorian spent the 2022–23 season on loan at Nice after three seasons in north London failed to produce anything resembling the form he showed at Lille.
The Saudi Pro League would at least be likely to offer the winger something close to the wages he has enjoyed from the Gunners, even though Arsenal would not even come close to recovering the full £72 million they paid for Pepe.
Reiss Nelson is anticipated to sign a new contract to serve as the England star’s backup on that flank, according to Art De Roche of The Athletic. Mikel Arteta has since replaced Pepe on the right wing with Bukayo Saka.
Getting rid of Pepe would not only be helpful to bring in more money to spend, it would also free up more of the wage budget, which is something Arsenal is aiming for with their expensive new additions this transfer window.
