Nicolas Pépé, the Ivorian winger who once held the title of the most expensive African footballer in history, has found a new home at Villarreal and has no regrets about leaving England behind.
The price tag never left him. When Nicolas Pépé joined Arsenal in the summer of 2019, he arrived as the most expensive African footballer ever. The €82 million signing was meant to transform the Gunners’ attack and return them to elite status. What followed became one of the most challenging—and at times painful—chapters in recent Premier League memory.
But in this exclusive conversation with Flashscore, the 30-year-old Ivorian shows no bitterness. Instead, he is reflective, honest, and above all, content. Because after false starts, loans, free transfers, and reinventions, Pépé has finally found an environment where he can be himself. That environment is Villarreal.
**On Arteta: “I regret the lack of communication”**
It’s clear that Pépé has thought deeply about his Arsenal story. He arrived from Lille after a sensational 2018/19 season, scoring 22 goals and providing 11 assists, finishing second in the Ligue 1 scoring charts behind only Kylian Mbappé. The world was watching. Expectations were enormous.
They were never truly fulfilled. In 112 appearances over three seasons, Pépé scored 27 goals—a return that, measured against the investment, fell well short of what was expected.
Eventually, under Mikel Arteta’s increasingly demanding system, he faded at the club. After a loan to Nice and a free transfer to Trabzonspor, Villarreal signed him in the summer of 2024.
The contrast between his relationship with Arteta and the one he now shares with Marcelino’s coaching staff says it all.
“First of all, it’s different. These two coaches are really different,” Pépé told Flashscore.
“Let’s start with Arteta, who is a coach who demands certain things. Sometimes it was a bit hard for me, where from time to time we didn’t have that communication. And that’s what I regret most—not having enough communication with him.”
“Then with coach Marcelino, it’s the opposite. I think we talk about everything, about nothing, about football, about non-football, whatever.”
“I always say I prefer a coach who is completely transparent with me, whether it’s on the good side or the bad side. It allows me to move forward and progress.”
**Two leagues, two worlds**
Having experienced English football at its most intense and Spanish football at its most technical, Pépé is uniquely positioned to compare the two.
“It’s completely different in terms of game intensity. In the Premier League, we were very focused on intensity, while in Spain we are more relaxed; the idea of the game is to play the ball,” he explains.
“Then, with the stadiums in England, I don’t think there are any better. You can go to the third or fourth division, and you’ll have stadiums full of incredible atmosphere.”
“In Spain, there’s also atmosphere, but it’s completely different. So I think they are two different leagues, but both at a very high level.”
It’s the kind of comparison that only lived experience can produce, as Pépé continues to remind the world of his quality in La Liga.
**Backing Arsenal, with a warning**
The Premier League title race was the obvious topic to discuss with someone who knows Arsenal as closely as Pépé does.
Arsenal have led the table for much of the season, but a defeat to Manchester City has tightened the race significantly, with the title potentially coming down to goal difference if both teams win their remaining matches.
