Lille winger Nicolas Pepe has joined Arsenal for a club record fee of £72m, according to a statement from Arsenal. The 24-year-old Ivory Coast winger has signed a five-year contract at Emirates Stadium after having a medical on Tuesday.
Pepe scored 35 goals in 74 Ligue 1 appearances for Lille, who he joined from Angers in 2017.
“Being here is very emotional,” said Pepe. “I have come a long way and struggled a lot and so signing for this great club is a big reward.”
He becomes the fourth most expensive signing in Premier League history after Manchester United duo Paul Pogba (£89m) and Romelu Lukaku (£75m), and Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk (£75m).
Pepe added: “It was important to make the right decision and I am convinced that Arsenal is the right choice.”
During the 2018-19 Ligue 1 season, only Paris St-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe had more combined goals and assists than Pepe, who will wear the number 19 shirt for Arsenal.
“Nicolas is a highly rated and talented winger who was wanted by many of the top teams in Europe,” said Gunners boss Unai Emery.
“Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I’m delighted he’s joining.
“He will add pace, power and creativity, with the aim of bringing more goals to our team.”
The move makes Pepe the most expensive African player of all time.
