Former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has revealed he considered quitting football due to the intense criticism he faced following his £72 million transfer to the club.
In 2019, Pepe joined Arsenal in a record-breaking move from Lille, with the Premier League club paying an initial £20 million, with the remaining £52 million spread over five years. During his time with the Gunners, Pepe made 112 appearances across all competitions, scoring 27 goals.
Last summer, Arsenal terminated Pepe's contract to remove him from the wage bill. In a candid interview with French newspaper L'Equipe, the 29-year-old admitted that the criticism he received led him to contemplate leaving the sport altogether.
"I didn't ask for the £72 million fee to be put on me," Pepe explained, suggesting the price tag contributed to the relentless scrutiny. "It was almost harassment. I don't look at social media much, but if my brother told me 'this is what they said about you,' it would affect me unconsciously."
Pepe highlighted that the criticism also came from the media and certain members of the club, which took a toll on his mental health and performance. "They don't realize that it can affect the mental state, the family, and it affects performance," he said.
Despite the challenges, Pepe expressed gratitude towards the Arsenal fans for their unwavering support. "The only people who have always supported me are the Arsenal fans," he noted.
Reflecting on his time at Arsenal, Pepe described the experience as traumatic, stating, "At Arsenal, I suffered a kind of trauma, as if my passion had been ripped away from me. I had a disgust for football. I doubted myself to the point that I thought about quitting everything."
Pepe's first season at Arsenal under Unai Emery in 2019-20 saw him score eight goals and provide 10 assists in 41 matches. He enjoyed his best campaign at the club the following season, netting 16 goals and contributing five assists in 47 games. However, his playing time gradually diminished, with only 23 appearances and five starts in his final season.
After a loan spell at Nice for the 2022-23 season, Pepe joined Turkish side Trabzonspor last year following the termination of his Arsenal contract. Now, the winger finds himself a free agent after deciding not to renew his one-year deal with Trabzonspor.
No comments:
Post a Comment