Nicolas Pepe is eager to get more playing time at Arsenal so he can “find a smile again”.
The winger, who joined Arsenal for £72million last summer from Lille, has struggled for action this season.
Pepe’s place in the Arsenal team has come under threat from Willian, who arrived in the summer for free from Chelsea.
Pepe has mainly played in the Europa League this season and he has managed three goals in all competitions.
And now the Ivorian has set his sights on earning more minutes as this busy season continues.
“My goal is to play more. Have a little more playing time,” Pepe told French outlet Canal+.
“A player who plays is happy. For me, I would like to play a little more to find a smile again.
“He [Arteta] wants me to be 100 per cent focused during the 90 minutes of the match. Afterwards, I see during training that I will be a substitute the following weekend.
“But the coach speaks to me, he also has assistants who are there for that. But it is frustrating for any player to be on the bench.”
