Al Shabab offer Arsenal forward Nicolas Pepe proposal amid rumoured Besiktas move

Arsenal forward Pepe has received a proposal from Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab, according to the Secret Scout.

The X (formerly known as Twitter) account has continuously shared exclusive transfer news all summer and is followed by the likes of Fabrizio Romano, Paul Joyce and some other renowned football journalists, so the owner is as credible as they come.

The Secret Scout claims Arsenal want around £2 million for the Ivory Coast international, with his representatives in Saudi to work on and complete the deal.

Excl – Understand Pepe have received a proposal from Saudi club Al Shabab 🔴#AFC

Arsenal looking for a fee of around £2m.
Representatives are out in Saudi to work on and complete deal.

Boom 🔜 💥 pic.twitter.com/6bykoCUvIS

— TheSecretScout (@TheSecretScout_) September 5, 2023

Reports from France yesterday claimed that Pepe was on the verge of joining Turkish Super Lig club Besiktas having had a medical in Paris, but Turkish journalist Firat Gunayer claimed afterwards that the club have denied the reports.

Pepe haberinin kaynağı kendi menajeri.. L'Equipe'le konuşup, oyuncuyu Beşiktaş'a getirmek istediği için bu bilgiyi veriyor.

Beşiktaş net bir şekilde yalanlıyor.

Beşiktaş'in hedefi stoper alıp transferi kapatmak.

8-10 alınması için tek bir ihtimal var, Koray Günter'in gelmesi.

— Fırat Günayer (@firatgunayer) September 4, 2023

It appears that the 28-year-old is still very much available for sale, and the Saudis are back for him.

Al Shabab are one of the clubs owned by the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (with an estimated assets of £538 billion), and they are ready to convince Pepe before their transfer window shuts on September 7.

The former Lille star is surplus to requirements at Arsenal and has not been part of manager Mikel Arteta’s since last season, spending 2022-23 on loan at OGC Nice.

He has returned to London Colney but has been training separately away from the first-team to maintain his fitness.

The transfer window in Turkey closes on Friday, so Pepe is running out of options and will need to quickly sort out his future in the coming days.

The Gunners are clearly not keen on letting their former club-record signing leave for free, and whether Al Shabab are willing to pay for his services remains to be seen.