After three long years Nicolas Pepe's time with Arsenal seems to finally be coming to an end. football.london understands that Nice are in talks over taking the Ivorian on loan this season and Mikel Arteta does not seem particularly devastated to see him go.
"We discussed that we have a big squad and we've allowed some players to leave," said the Spaniard in his press conference ahead of the clash with Bournemouth. "Until the end of the window, anything can happen."
It's underwhelming end to a stint that ultimately jumped the gun several times rather than ever really getting up to full speed. But despite his limited role in the squad last season, Pepe's departure means that Arsenal will need a right winger to replace him and the man they appear to have chosen for the job is a fascinating prospect.
READ MORE: Mikel Arteta and Edu facing huge Arsenal transfer dilemma as £25m Pedro Neto alternative emerges
After much talk this summer about a 'mystery winger' the Gunners have been targeting, Pedro Neto is the man who reports have revealed they've got their sights on. The Portuguese international is one of the most highly rated young players in Europe, but what makes him such an interesting potential buy for Arsenal is how many traits he appears to share with Pepe on paper.
Both are wide forwards at their best in open spaces who have an eye for a set piece. They look to beat their man often by dribbling and have decent end product to boot. So why is it that Arteta feels Neto would be the better fit at the Emirates Stadium?
What stands out immediately when trying to answer this question is the differing types of the players' dribbles. It's no secret that Pepe has been known during his time at Arsenal for being a little too ponderous in possession rather than going straight towards goal. This came to a head at the end of last season when assistant coach Albert Stuivenberg sprinted on to the pitch at full time against Leeds to berate the Ivorian for looking to check back and beat his man on the halfway line instead of dribbling straight towards a net the Illan Meslier had left empty when going up for a corner.
With Neto there are no such issues. The 22-year-old is direct on the ball and will look to get to goal as soon as possible. When analysing Neto it's worth noting that he missed most of last season with a damaged knee cap, so if you want an accurate sample size the 2020/21 campaign is the one to go for. During this season the Portuguese forward ranked in the 94th percentile for carries into the final third among forwards (3.18), while Pepe, who played more than in any of his other campaigns at Arsenal that year, managed to only rank in the 10th (1.73).
Of course Arsenal and Wolves' differing playing styles have to be taken into account here, but that disparity is still huge. It's also worth noting that at the time Arsenal had serious issues progressing the ball up the pitch, particularly before Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard came into the team, and Pepe was as guilty for this as anyone.
Another thing that also separates Neto from Pepe, is his unpredictability when attacking one-vs-one. While he shown he has quality on his right foot when he looks to use it, Pepe is undoubtedly someone who is more comfortable on his left. As someone who has predominantly played on the right wing this makes him maddeningly predictably to defend against.
Neto on the other hand is as happy coming inside to get a shot off on his preferred left foot as he is going down the line on his right when playing in the same position. He is the son of a Portuguese international roller blader and could have played the sport himself and this ability to skate quickly in different directions is evident nearly every time he takes to the pitch.
This instance from Wolves' clash with West Ham last season sums that up that dexterity well. Neto picks the ball up on the right wing and initially puts in a dangerous cross on his right foot.
When that cross is cleared away it comes fortuitously back out to him and this time the 22-year-old decides to whip in an even better ball on his left that Daniel Podence heads on to the bar.
For Arteta this versatility is undoubtedly key. The Spaniard is looking to create a Swiss Army knife squad in attack capable of dealing with the multitude of defensive blocks his team will come up against. Neto's ability to work well in big spaces as well as small ones, means he would be a sublime addition to what is already an enthralling Arsenal attack. On top of that he can play anywhere across the front line, which is thought to be a reason why the Gunners were so keen on bringing Raphinha in from Leeds earlier this window before the Brazilian ended up choosing Barcelona instead.
Perhaps the cherry on top with Neto is his defensive capabilities. Arteta often showed visible frustration at Pepe from the touchlines for not being switched on enough when out of possession. With the introduction of Gabriel Jesus Arsenal have now become a team who press with a frantic intensity in order to win the ball back off their opposition high up the pitch, and Pepe's lapses in concentration make this far less possible.
Neto meanwhile is far more astute defensively. While Pepe ranked in just the 12th percentile for tackles in the attacking third per 90 among forwards during the 2020/21 campaign (0.11), Neto was up in the 63rd with (0.28). While these are not ground breaking numbers from the Portuguese international he effectively has just one full season of first team football under his belt and has shown a propensity to learn and improve already.
"I have to continue to improve physically, but I have to be more mature too," he told The Athletic during an interview in February last year. "This is one of the things I’ve developed, I know more what I’m doing in games and what’s happening around me. And tactically, helping the team to defend and then go in the counter-attack.”
It's difficult not to wonder what might have been if Pepe had ever been able to iron out the kinks to his game in an Arsenal shirt. There is undoubtedly a good player in there, but as Arsenal look to progress quickly under Arteta they are no longer willing to wait around to find it. Should he arrive Neto would represent an undoubted upgrade with the potential to add fresh solutions to the problems Arsenal face. In an attack that already contains Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli the Portuguese forward's addition would reinforce the Gunners as one of the brightest up and coming sides in the Premier League.
Do you think Pedro Neto is a good signing? Let us know in the comments!
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