Capitalizing on a wonderful season that saw Nicolas Pepe score 22 goals for LOSC Lille in Ligue 1, the Cote d’Ivoire born player has earned a massive transfer to the Premier League. Arsenal is the club that has won the race for the player’s signature, setting a new club record for in the process.
Just how will you be able to make use of Pepe for your fantasy football draft?
Strong option for your forward line
Nicolas Pepe becomes a great option for the choice of forward in your fantasy football draft for Premier League contests. Chosen by Arsenal ahead of players like Wilfred Zaha, Pepe is expected to deliver goals and assists, something he has shown to be more than capable of back in France. Consider taking a gamble on him once the new EPL season starts on August 9th.
Arsenal have just splashed £72 million on Pepe’s transfer to England. Why so confident? After all, this is a club notorious for their stinginess. Even more so, the clubs board announced their intention to make as little unneeded expenditures as possible for the new season.
One of the driving forces of the deal, is Arsenal’s historic success with the transfers of French players. Alexandre Lacazette is just the most recent example. Players like Thierry Henry, David Pires or Patrick Vieira are ingrained in the club’s history. Now, Pepe becomes the 30th French player to adorn the Londonners’ shirt.
Able to play as a winger on both flanks, Pepe can help bolster the Gunners’ already impressive attack. The forward registered a great season in France. This was only his second campaign for Lille, of course. But, by the end of it, given the level of success, it was clear that the club was ready to place him in the display window. Almost $80 million for a club of Lille’s stature is nothing to sneeze at.
Earning playing time in Arsenal’s main squad?
Worried about Nicolas Pepe getting benched as a result of Arsenal’s impressive roster of players? While competition is going to be fierce, it is likely the Frenchman will be made a priority in Emery’s side.
Pepe will probably start as a winger for the Gunners, playing as a support unit to Lacazette and Aubameyang. The new partnership will, however, likely have other consequences as the new lineup will leave Mesut Ozil and Henryk Mkhitaryan struggling to earn playing time.
A bargain option
Nicolas Pepe was the perfect fantasy player last season. Flying just below the radar, the winger managed some of the best individual fantasy football scores in Ligue 1. His transition to the Premier League, as well as changes to the FootballCoin platform, will see Pepe upgraded to a 3* rating.
The digital asset representing the collectible player card is recorded on FootballCoin’s blockchain. The card is set to be one of the biggest bargains of 3* EPL players. This will be sold as a part of a package of three player cards featuring the same game rating. Methods to exchange the unneeded cards will also be introduced with FootballCoin set to provide more information shortly.
Is Nicolas Pepe ready to make an impression on the Premier League? While it is much too early to say, Arsenal look to have invested in a player with world-class potential. Our verdict is that it is certainly worth considering him for your Premier League fantasy draft for the 2019/20 season.
