Lille sporting director Luis Campos has revealed that the club would be prepared to sell winger Nicolas Pepe this summer.
The Ligue 1 club are having a great season and find themselves second in the table behind only Paris Saint-Germain.
Bye bye Pepe? Five things you need to know…
- Pepe joined Lille from Angers in 2017 for a transfer fee of €10 million.
- The exciting winger has made 63 appearances for the club, scoring an impressive 30 goals.
- This season, Pepe has scored 16 goals and assisted 10 times in 26 Ligue 1 matches, a direct goal contribution in every match so far.
- His form has led to interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs including Barcelona and Arsenal.
- Although he is contracted until 2022, it is expected that Pepe will depart the club this summer.
Speaking to reporters about the interest being shown in the club’s starman, Campos revealed that the Stade Pierre-Mauroy side are making preparations before inevitably selling Pepe to a larger European outfit.
Citing the gulf in finances between themselves and supposedly interested clubs, Campos couldn’t give the Lille fans the news that they wanted to hear.
Campos said: “We are not a rich club.
“It means that if a really good proposal comes in for Pepe, we have to sell him.”
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“Nobody will snatch Pepe”
Alongside Campos’ revelation, club coach Christophe Galtier has had his say on whether the northern outfit will be able to keep Pepe in the colours of Lille.
Galtier admitted that if they qualify for the Champions League this season, it may give them more of a chance in keeping the winger but understands it would be tough for Pepe to turn down offers from some of Europe’s top sides.
He said: “Nobody will snatch Pepe. There have always been negotiations between the president and Nicolas.
“Conversations in which things are very clear. If we finish the season in second place and we get into the Champions League, will Nicolas want to enjoy this new adventure with his team-mates next season?” said the coach.
“Only Nicolas can answer that question. How are you going to keep a player when he has the top European sides asking for him? It happened (they left) at Saint-Etienne with Matuidi and Aubameyang.”
The post Lille confirm they’re prepared to sell Arsenal & Barcelona target after 16-goal season appeared first on Squawka News.
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