Arsenal seal £72m deal for Lille's Pepe

London, August 1: Arsenal have announced the signing of Lille forward Nicolas Pepe in a club-record deal reported to be worth £72million.

It eclipses the £56 million paid to Borussia Dortmund for striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last year.

Pepe was linked with Paris Saint-Germain, Napoli and Champions League winners Liverpool after a breakthrough 2018-19 season.

The Ivory Coast attacker scored 22 Ligue 1 goals last term and supplied 11 assists to catch the eye of Europe's elite clubs.

Welcome to The Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe 🤩

🇨🇮 #PepeIsHere ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/nXJIB9XdLW

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 1, 2019

But it is Arsenal who have landed the 24-year-old, who has signed a five-year deal and will wear the number 19 shirt at the London club.

"Being here is very emotional because it has not been easy for me," Pepe was quoted as saying in the club website.

"I've come a long way and struggled a lot and so signing for this great club is a big reward," he added.

Pepe is Arsenal's fourth recruit of the close season after the club signed Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, midfielder Dani Ceballos on loan from Real Madrid and centre back William Saliba, who has been loaned back to St Etienne for the season.

Arsenal, who finished fifth last season, play a friendly against Barcelona on Sunday before they begin the new league campaign with a trip to Newcastle United on August 11.

"Nicolas is a highly-rated and talented winger who was wanted by many of the top teams in Europe," Arsenal manager Unai Emery told the club website.

"Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I'm delighted he's joining.

"He will add pace, power and creativity, with the aim of bringing more goals to our team," Emery added.

(With Agency inputs)