Biography of Nicolas Pepe, a football striker
Summary of Nicolas Pepe's biography
Full name: Nicolas Pepe
Date of birth: May 29, 1995
Place of birth: Mont-Ejoly, France
Profession: footballer
Position: Winger
Current club: Trabzonspor and Ivory Coast national team
Biography of Nicolas Pepe
Nicolas Pepe was born on May 29, 1995 in Mont-Ejoly, France. He is a professional footballer who plays as a right winger or striker for the Super League club Trabzonspor. He was born in France and plays for the Ivory Coast national team.
Pepe started his club career with Poitiers at the amateur club Lille-la-Forest.
He signed for Angers in 2013 at the age of 18, and in 2015, Pepe was loaned to Lyon. In his first season in Lyon, he scored 13 goals and helped Lyon advance to the Champions League. In the 2016-2017 season, Pepe scored 22 goals and became one of the best players in the French league.
He signed a contract for Lille in 2017 and was introduced to UNFP.
In 2019, Pepe joined Arsenal for £72 million. In his first season at Arsenal, he scored 22 goals and helped the team qualify for the Europa League.
Pepe is a fast and technical player who can play on both wings. He is a dangerous scorer and also has the ability to create chances for his teammates.
Nicolas Pepe's club activities
Poitiers
Pepe started his career initially playing as a goalkeeper for local team Solitaire Paris Est until the age of 14. Pepe began his senior career as an outfield player with Poitiers FC in the Championnat de France Amateur 2 (5th tier) in 2013–2012.
Orleans (loan)
Pepe was loaned to Orléans for the national championship in the 2015–16 season, helping the club to rise from third place as runners-up.
Lille
On June 21, 2017, Pepe signed a 5-year contract with Lille worth up to 10 million euros. Pepe described Bielsa as “special” and a “great coach”. He started the season playing as a striker after being converted to play in the post under Bielsa, before finishing the season under new Lille manager Christophe Gaultier playing as a winger.
During the entire 2017–18 Ligue 1 season, he was part of a Lille team that narrowly avoided relegation, missing just two games and scoring 13 times, including two away victories. It was in Metz and Toulouse.
On 15 September 2018, during the 2018–19 Ligue 1 season, Pepe scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, in a 3–2 away win against Amiens. A few days later, club president Gerard López confirmed that Barcelona were among several clubs interested in signing him.
On 14 April 2019, Pepe scored a goal and provided two assists in a 5–1 home win over Paris Saint-Germain. He finished the 2018–19 Ligue 1 season with 22 goals, second only to PSG's Kylian Mbappe with 11 assists, and was named in the UNFP Team of the Year.
Arsenal
On 1 August 2019, it was announced that Pepe had joined Premier League club Arsenal for a club record fee of €79 million, eclipsing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's previous record fee of €62 million. After signing a contract with Arsenal, he was given the number 19 shirt.
Pepe made his Arsenal debut as a 71st-minute substitute for Rhys Nelson in a 1–0 away win against Newcastle United on 11 August, his first start for the club two weeks later in a 3–1 loss to Liverpool. in which he played the full 90 minutes.
Pepe scored his first goal for Arsenal, from the penalty spot, in a 3–2 home win against Aston Villa on 22 September. He scored his first European goal in Arsenal's 3–2 Europa League home win against Vitoria de Guimarães on 24 October, with two free-kicks.
On 1 January 2020, Pepe scored Arsenal's first goal in a 2–0 home win against Manchester United, marking Mikel Arteta's first win as new manager.
On 16 February, Pepe had a goal and two assists in a 4–0 win over Newcastle United.
On 28 June, he scored his first FA Cup goal in a 2–1 away win against Sheffield United in the quarter-finals, putting Arsenal ahead from the penalty spot in the 25th minute.
On 1 August, he played the full 90 minutes of the FA Cup Final against Chelsea to win his first club trophy as an Arsenal player, assisting Aubameyang's second goal.
On 22 November 2020, Pepe received the first red card of his career in a 0–0 away draw against Leeds United after a challenge on Ezgajan Alioski in the 51st minute.
On 2 February 2021, he beat two defenders before scoring against Wolverhampton Wanderers. That goal was later chosen as February's Goal of the Month on Arsenal's official website.
On 24 February 2022, Pepe scored his first Premier League goal of the 2021–22 season in a 2–1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers with a strike in the 82nd minute and was instrumental in setting up an own goal in the 95th minute.
Trabuzan Spur
On September 8, 2023, Pepe moved to the Super League team Trabzonspor. He left Arsenal on a free transfer with one year left on his contract.
Nicolas Pepe's style of play
Pepe is known as a quick and skilful attacking winger who is comfortable on either flank, but usually plays on the right wing and plays on his left foot. He was also converted by former Lille manager Marcelo Bielsa from playing in wide positions to playing as an attacker in the inside or central channel.
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The honors of Nicolas Pepe
Arsenal
– The English Football League Cup in the 2019-2020 season
Individual honors
– Among the selected French football team of the year in the 2018-2019 season
– Selected as the best French football player of the month in September 2018 and January 2019
– Marc-Vivien Fu Award in 2019
– The best player of the season of Lille Football Club in the 2018-2019 season
– Among the selected team of the European League season in the 2021-2020 season
compilation: Cover biographical section