£72m flop Nicolas Pepe set to secure post-deadline day transfer away from Arsenal

Arsenal's Nicolas Pepe has agreed to move to Besiktas, reports in France have claimed.

According to L'Equipe, Pepe passed a medical in Paris on Monday ahead of his arrival at Turkish side Besiktas.

The winger had reportedly rejected an approach from a club in Turkey while the Premier League transfer window was in full swing, but in the past few hours reached an agreement to join the Istanbul-based side.

Pepe was signed for a then-club record £72million from Lille in 2019 but spent last season on loan at Nice after falling out of favour under Mikel Arteta. While the Ivory Coast international netted eight goals in all competitions for the Ligue 1 side last term, they turned down the opportunity to sign the player permanently this summer.

Indeed, the Mail Online claimed last week that Arsenal were contemplating terminating the contract of Pepe amid the winger's struggles to secure a departure.

The publication claimed Arteta was more than happy to let him leave, with the club ready to cut their losses early.

However it appears that attacker is set to join Besiktas, with the Turkish Super Lig window running until September 15.

The Ivorian, who has just a year remaining on his Arsenal deal, started just five Premier League games in his last campaign at the Emirates.

Pepe only recently returned to training at the Gunners' London Colney base having missed the club's pre-season tour of the US.

Speaking last week, Arteta admitted he still believed Pepe would have an exit route out of Arsenal despite the Premier League's window having closed.

"We are still looking for solutions and there is a lot of communication between his agent and the player and the club at the moment.," he said. "There is nothing to announce at the moment."

The Ivory Coast international had reportedly also received interest from Saudi Arabia, with their window active until September 7.