Report: Arsenal Reach Agreement to Sign Lille's Nicolas Pepe in €80M Transfer

Arsenal have reportedly agreed an €80 million (£71.9 million) deal for Lille winger Nicolas Pepe, and the transfer could go through once an agent agreement has been reached.

According to journalist David Ornstein, the fee will be paid in instalments to fit the Gunners' limited transfer budget this summer:

The transfer saga involving Pepe has been one of the longest of the summer. According to Tommaso Fiore of Sky Sports, he's been linked with "several top European clubs," including Manchester United. 

Napoli were previously seen as the favourites to land the Ivorian, and according to sports writer Fabrizio Romano, they are still in the race, but they will have to make a new proposal.

The 24-year-old was one of the standouts in Ligue 1 last season, scoring a remarkable 22 goals and adding 11 assists for Lille.

One of his best outings came versus Amiens, against whom he bagged a hat-trick:

A transfer to a top club seemed all but certain by the end of the season, but Lille's asking price of €80 million meant the trickster was in need of a solid performance at the Africa Cup of Nations to convince potential buyers.

Instead, Pepe and Ivory Coast fell flat in Egypt, losing to eventual champions Algeria in the quarter-finals. He didn't score a goal.

Despite that poor performance, his agents are asking clubs for a major investment:

The dynamic forward is a fantastic dribbler, and his scoring output and passing ability make him an enormous threat whenever he's on the ball. While €80 million is a lot of money, he should be well worth it if he can replicate his club form in north London.