Nicolas Pepe played an integral role in persuading Gabriel Magalhaes to join Arsenal in the summer of 2020.
The pair played together at Lille but have had very different Arsenal careers since signing from the Ligue 1 outfit in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Pepe, who cost the Gunners a club record £72million just under three years ago, has struggled for game time of late and despite showing glimpses of his quality, he's continuously been linked with a move away from the Emirates.
football.london understood that the player was prepared to assess his options if his situation continued to diminish in January. He's responded well since returning from the African Cup of Nations, however, and recently inspired Arsenal to a late comeback against Wolves by scoring once and adding an assist in the Gunners' 2-1 win last Thursday (February 24).
Nevertheless, if Arsenal do decide to move on from him in the summer, his biggest contribution may have been the integral role he played in persuading Gabriel to join the club.
During an interview with Le Petit Lillois, via Sport Witness, the Brazilian confirmed that he was close to joining Everton the season prior, but a year later, Pepe 'sold the club' to him.
Gabriel said: “Lille are a great club, a club that sells a lot so I knew I had to show myself. In the winter (of the 2019-2020 season) before the league stopped, I was already meant to sign for Everton. I underwent my medical, etc…
“But it didn’t get done. I had already envisioned myself leaving after that season. I spoke with Napoli, Everton once again, but I then chose Arsenal thanks to Nicolas Pépé, who sold the club well to me.”
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Gabriel has formed a reliable centre-back partnership with Benjamin White this season and has helped keep ten clean sheets in 21 appearances.
Whilst Pepe's long-term future is uncertain, Gabriel is a vital part of Mikel Arteta's plans moving forward and the Spaniard must be thankful to Pepe for helping to make the transfer happen.
