Chased by Europe's Elite: Is Nicolas Pepe Really Worth the Hype?

Nicolas Pepe is on the verge of making a transfer decision that will shape the rest of his career.

Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Napoli, Arsenal, Liverpool and—most strongly in recent days—Manchester United, have all been linked with a move. The hype is huge.

After starting 37 of Lille's 38 matches in Ligue 1 last season, scoring 22 times and registering 11 assists in the process, he has become one of Europe's most-wanted talents.

Any day now, an announcement will be made on who has won the race for his signature.

The 24-year-old is not just open to any big club, though.

While Pepe is eager to test himself at a higher level, he is also being very selective about the team he joins. His major traits—rapid speed combined with intelligent decision-making—need to thrive. But he will also have to live up to all the publicity that now surrounds him.

Olivier is a Lille season ticket holder and told Bleacher Report: "I see him play at every home match and on television for all the other matches.

"At the level of Ligue 1, he is an extraordinary player. On the one hand, because he is very technically talented; and on the other hand, because he is very fast. He can pick up the ball 70 metres away from the opposing goal and go and score on his own.

"But the most important thing for me is that this player is very serious. He has a career plan and will not sacrifice that for the money. It is he who will choose his next club and not the other way around."

Pepe is wonderful to watch at full speed, regularly picking up the ball around the halfway line and beginning a bursting run that leaves defensive players on their heels. 

Mickael Foor is the club's commentator on LOSCTV and has plenty of first-hand experiences of how the player makes things happen.

"He loves spaces, and when he has them in front of him, he is able to use them wonderfully," he explains. "He is able to project very quickly forward. I find that he also makes good choices in his play. When he has to play individually, he does it; and when he has to give, he gives. He is also very generous on the defensive side and does not hesitate to fall back when necessary.

"He has become much more efficient in his game choices. There was a lot of waste until last season, but he became a lot more killer, especially in front of goal. He is questioning himself a lot to erase his faults. He knows how to use his individual abilities to serve the team.

"In Lille, we had very good players. Eden Hazard stays on top of everyone, but I'll put him on Gervinho's level. I do not find him less strong than Lucas (Moura) from Tottenham Hotspur. But Pepe must confirm at the highest level, which he has not done yet."

B/R analyst Sam Tighe does have concerns, though. There have been many players with natural creative ability who struggle to fulfil potential, particularly in the Premier League. 

Tighe said: "Pepe is prime boom-or-bust territory. Without looking to pigeonhole him, it's clear he does a certain few things extremely well.

"A lot of his goals, runs and movements are very similar, and while it's fair to praise him for nailing his style, it's also fair to wonder if he comes unstuck in a far stronger league.

"He either flops, or he's another Mohamed Salah or Arjen Robben—two players who play very predictably, but opponents still can't stop them anyway."

The strong links with United are intriguing, given there is going to be major emphasis on the side becoming a counter-attacking force under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

According to Yahoo! Sport France, Lille have rejected a bid from the Old Trafford club, though there has long been a belief an offer of around £70 million will be enough to land him.

Lille fan Olivier realises the lure of such a move is enticing, but he explained: "As you know, Eden Hazard was also trained at Lille—I think we can compare them, but it will be necessary to see Pepe in a more difficult championship like the Premier League first.

"When Hazard won the French Championship with Lille in 2011, he had a great team around him. Pepe did not have this same team—we have a lot of young players.

"Nobody wants to see our best players leave, but this is the project of LOSC. Take young players with high potential, make them progress in Lille, and then sell them with a very strong added value."

Tom Williams wrote a detailed piece on Pepe earlier this year, outlining his rise in the game.

Within the article, he explained how Philippe Leclerc—then working as Poitiers' sporting director (where Pepe played as a 14-year-old)—was blown away by Pepe's ability on the ball, but despite some impressive performances at youth level, recruiters from professional clubs were deterred by his rangy physique and concerns about his attitude.

"He was a bit willowy, with his long legs. You could see that he had good technique, but he didn't correspond to the criteria that the [professional] clubs were looking for," Leclerc said.

"He also had an attitude that was a bit casual. People thought he was inconsistent or that he was lazy in certain situations. Everything seemed so simple with Nico. And that's why he slacked off every now and again."

Those games where he slacked off have gradually faded from memory. He suddenly fits a criteria that pretty much every top European club is searching for. Now we wait for his next chapter to begin.

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