Lille winger Nicolas Pepe is on the brink of a move to Arsenal.
football.london understands that Arsenal are in advanced talks with Lille over a £72million move for the Ivorian frontman - a move which has come as a surprise to many, given the Gunners' reported £45million transfer budget.
Arsenal have signed teenagers Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba this summer, with Saliba going back to Saint Etienne on loan for the season, while Dani Ceballos has made the move to the Emirates from Real Madrid on loan for the new campaign.
Head coach Unai Emery has not spent big money on any of those signings, with Saliba costing in the region of £25million, although that will be paid in installments.
But signing Pepe for £72million would be a real coup, given it looked unlikely that they would be able to compete with the likes of Liverpool and Napoli for his signature.
But while the transfer is surprising, Arsenal were handed a boost in the move by a surprising player too - Neymar.
According to ButFootballClub.fr , Pepe was keen on a move to Paris Saint-Germain this summer, and was holding out for a move to the French champions.
However, no move was forthcoming, with PSG locked in talks over Neymar's future.
Neymar has been linked with a move back to Spain, with former club Barcelona and Real Madrid talked up as potential destinations this summer.
But Neymar remains in the French capital and according to ButFootballClub.fr , with the transfer windows in England and Italy edging towards their completion, Pepe has grown tired of waiting for a potential move to PSG to come to fruition and has decided on a transfer to Arsenal.
