Nicolas Pepe didn't want to entertain an Arsenal exit in January as the winger received interest from two French clubs.
The Ivorian has been on the fringes under Mikel Arteta this season as he continues to struggle at the Emirates following his £72million summer move from Lille in the summer of 2019.
Pepe appears to be surplus to requirements, a damning verdict given Arsenal's well-documented issues at the top end of the pitch after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's exit to Barcelona.
Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are the only two recognised No.9s at the club but Pepe, who has operated down in the middle in the past, is still not getting a look-in, in any capacity.
Pepe was linked with an exit in January, as a result, amid reports that Arteta was willing to cut his losses with the forward.
Does Nicolas Pepe have a future at Arsenal? Comment below
Pepe attracted interest from Marseille and Lyon with both sides keen on the player, according to French outlet L’Equipe via GFFN.
Marseille wanted to bring Pepe to the south of France along with his compatriot and Manchester United defender Eric Bailly. Lyon were said to hold an ‘equally’ strong interest in the player who ripped Ligue 1 apart while at Lille.
But it appears he wasn't interested in a return to France as the deadline passed without a move materialising.
football.london claimed in December that Pepe was going to assess his options in the winter window just gone by, should his situation at Arsenal continue to deteriorate.
Pepe hasn't played much football for Arsenal since that report came to light, but he has been away on international duty for Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations.
Pepe has found playing time hard to come by in the Premier League as the likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli continue to shine.
And Arteta revealed that he approached him about his lack of playing time before their emphatic 5-1 win over Sunderland in the Carabao Cup last month, where he got on the scoresheet and registered two assists.
He said: "A player that doesn’t play if he’s happy we have a big problem.
"Nico has not been happy and asking for more minutes. This is the attitude we want from our players."
Ian Wright reckons it's "last chance saloon" for the 26-year-old at his former club and he needs to stand up and be counted after Aubamyeang's departure.
"Up to this point he’s not used Pepe in any way that makes me think he’s got love for Pepe," he told Wrighty’s House podcast..
"I think Pepe might be in the last chance saloon, with the number of games he hasn't played
"I’d like to see something from him."
