Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe, Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Ivory Coast
John McDougall
Topics: Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe, Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Ivory Coast
It's fair to say that Nicolas Pepe's time at Arsenal probably did not match up to the expectations made when he joined the Gunners as their record signing back in 2019.
Pepe moved to the Emirates Stadium four years ago when Arsenal paid £72 million to Lille for the Ivory Coast international's services.
The 28-year-old ended up scoring 27 time in 112 games for Arsenal, with his most productive campaign for the Gunners coming in the 2020/21 season when he scored 16 times in 47 matches in all competitions.
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However, he slipped down the pecking order at Mikel Arteta's side and spent last season out on loan at Nice, scoring eight goals in 28 games.
Pepe departed Arsenal this summer and, despite having another 12 months left to run on his deal at the North London club, has moved to Turkish side Trabzonspor on a free transfer.
Wilfried Zaha has also moved to Turkey this summer, having moved to Galatasaray after leaving Crystal Palace on a free transfer after 18 years at the South London club.
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Zaha knows Pepe thanks to the duo's time together with the Ivory Coast national team - but it appears the former Palace star is not a fan of being a roommate with Pepe when the pair are on international duty.
And it seems the former Arsenal star's snoring was too much to handle for Zaha - something that ex-Chelsea man Salomon Kalou experienced too.
Speaking to the OnTheJudy podcast in 2021, Zaha said: "Oh my days. Nicolas Pepe. Nicolas Pepe, I asked to leave the room.
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"I went and asked to leave the room because he sounded like a motorbike. It was mad. Bro, it was crazy.
"I was like no, I can't. They let me move and share rooms with Kalou, Salomon Kalou. And he was like, 'Bro, I know. I moved myself'".