Nicolas Pepe likely to stay at Arsenal

Arsenal have been unable to find a new club for Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe, with no club willing to cover the player's reported £125,000 a week contract. The Gunners had been considering letting Pepe leave on a free transfer, but now the winger is set to be given an opportunity to prove himself at the Emirates once more.

Director of Football at Arsenal, Edu, had been in talks with nine teams regarding a potential move away from the Gunners for the forward. Saudi Arabian teams have been linked with Pepe, and Marseille, Werder Bremen, Rennes, Valencia and Sevilla had all been in contact regarding a free transfer move. Yet nobody would match Pepe's reported salary.

The Gunners broke their transfer record to sign Pepe from Lille, and has failed to live up to expectations.

Now he will try to force his way back into Mikel Arteta's plans at the club. Pepe does not have a bad record at Arsenal, but fans have been frustrated with his work rate and the Gunners' recent meteoric rise back to the top of the Premier League has coincided with Pepe's lacklustre form while out on loan.