I didn't ask for £72m Arsenal transfer fee - it was a kind of trauma and I wanted to quit

Nicolas Pepe brought an end to his Arsenal tenure last summer after a difficult four years at the Emirates

Former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe says he wanted to quit playing football after a difficult four year stint at the Emirates stadium.

The Gunners signed the Ivory Coast international for £72million from Ligue 1 club Lille before leaving the club on a free transfer last summer. It's fair to say the winger failed to live up to expectations during his time in North London, but still scored 27 goals in 112 appearances.

Pepe has claimed he was bullied during his time in London, with his price tag weighing heavy on his shoulders. The Ivorian spent the 2022-23 season on loan with Nice before moving to Turkish club Trabzonspor in the summer of 2023 on a free transfer.

He'd spend just one year with the Turkish club before joinign Villareal, where he appears to have rediscovered his best form.

“I was bullied in London,” Pepe told L’Equipe, viaAS in their Saturday edition. “I didn’t ask for €80 million to be paid for me. It was a kind of trauma, as if my passion had been taken away.

“I had an aversion to football and thought about quitting. They were talking about me as the biggest failure in the history of the Premier League.”

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Pepe has one goal in seven appearances for Villareal so far this season, and is enjoying his football once again, but still says his time with the Gunners was unforgettable.

He told EuroSport: “Playing for Arsenal is still a huge part of my career. Playing with The Gunners, it’s unforgettable. I won titles [the FA Cup and the Community Shield] with this great club, so it was far from a bad experience. I still remember the good things. The Arsenal chapter, I won’t say it’s behind me. It’s above all something I’ll carry with me until the end of my career.

“At the time, I had a discussion with Unai Emery that lasted almost an hour. He explained to me how he wanted me to fit into the team, and obviously it convinced me. Honestly, I’ve turned the page. I have no rancour. Frankly, I wish Mikel Arteta the best.”