Arsenal’s club-record signing Nicolas Pepe could make his full debut against Burnley on Saturday, LIVE on talkSPORT.
The Ivory Coast international was a second-half substitute in the Gunners’ opening-day win over Newcastle last weekend.
It’s been a great rise from Pepe with the beginning of his football career much more humble.
Pepe started at French minnows Stade Poitevin, a club he helped save from relegation in the 2012/13 season.
Poitevin president Regis Dubois told The Mirror: “He was young but I saw him develop here.
“He scored a magnificent goal against Nantes Reserves in the last match of the season and saved us from relegation – that is why we are in National 3 today.
“It was a goal of beauty. He started on the flank and dribbled past all these players before a marvellous shot into the top corner.”
Pepe’s £72million move from Lille to Arsenal saw French fifth tier side Poitevin bank £1million.
Gunners boss Unai Emery will be relying on the winger to score the goals to help the club finish in the top four this season.
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- Arsenal vs Burnley (Saturday, 12.30pm) – talkSPORT
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Dubois added: “He was a nice kid, popular – not difficult to coach. There are certain kids I have seen who are not like that.
“They arrive and they think they are Neymar before putting football boots on.
“You could see he was a bit special but he was so young and there was such a long way to go in his career. But he has since made such an improvement and had such a career that I can only say ‘bravo.’”
In his pre-match press conference, Unai Emery gave nothing away when asked if new signings David Luiz, Dani Ceballos and Pepe would make their full debuts this weekend.
He said: “Each player is different and really after Newcastle this week the players have been working well.
“Today was the same. We can decide and choose different options for each position in the squad.
“We need to be competitive and we need different options to decide who is better for each match.”
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