Former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has said that it is not the fault of players that they are being signed for big money.
He said this while defending some underwhelming big-money signings.
In such a category are players like Antony and Mykhailo Mudryk of Manchester United and Chelsea, respectively.
Pepe became a flop at Arsenal, failing to live up to expectations after moving to the Emirates for a reported £72 million in 2019.
Defending himself and the other players who have been brought in for huge prices, Pepe told BBC Sport: “If Arsenal bought me for £20m, maybe it’d be different. It’s not the player’s fault. They don’t ask for £100m or £90m. But that’s how it is in the football world and it’s something that people can’t understand.
“There are also players like Mudryk and Antony who don’t perform at their best all the time, and yet they’re not bad players.”
The Ivory Coast international featured 112 times for the Gunners across all competitions. He scored 27 goals and assisted 21 times.
Transfer: It’s not their fault – Pepe defends big-money signings
