Nicolas Pépé

LazyRed-Ninja

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A 23 years old pacy physical rightwinger from Lille who is currently the 2nd topscorer behind Mbappe, scoring 12 goals and 5 assists in 19 games. He was linked with a move to Arsenal in the winter, but he denied these rumours and said he doesnt want to leave in the winter. Other interested clubs were/are City and Barcelona

Here are some footages to get a glimps of his profile.


What do you guys make of him? Its his break through season and in my opinion he is still raw, but the talent is there to see.
 

Slevs

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I won't even watch the video or even know him but if he's a right winger that can beat a man and hugs the touchline instead of cutting inside every time he attacks, then sign me up. We've really lacked a winger who can beat a man and cross it.
 

Adisa

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Video makes his dribbling style look like Zaha's. It's cumbersome, almost like he's beating players accidentally.
 

Keeps It tidy

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I won't even watch the video or even know him but if he's a right winger that can beat a man and hugs the touchline instead of cutting inside every time he attacks, then sign me up. We've really lacked a winger who can beat a man and cross it.
Left Footed RW so more of the cut inside type.
 

LazyRed-Ninja

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He is having a killer season and dubbed as the most valuable player of Ligue 1, above the likes of Mbappe and Neymar. Scored 13 and 7 assists. (See OP) for player description. Any insiders of the ligue 1 who watch him play too?
 

BBRBB

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He added this season the main thing he lacked to his game which is end product. If he can keep this up he will be very interesting for many clubs. Lille is definitely selling this summer.
 

Adam-Utd

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He will definitely be moving this summer.

He's the type of winger who is wasteful, loses the ball 3/5 times, but those other times result in a goal or a assist.

He's a risk taker and a great ball carrier. Some people can't handle that, like we saw with Nani / Di Maria.

I personally think he'd be a great fit on our RW. Especially in matches we're bossing and need to break teams down.
 

Adisa

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Wingers lose the ball and a generally inconsistent. Its simply comes with the territory.
 

Kostov

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Wingers lose the ball and a generally inconsistent. Its simply comes with the territory.
Absolutely. Except extraordinary dribblers like Hazard for example which are more often than not impossible to defend against.

This Pepe lad seems like a very good player indeed. he should definitely be an option for us.
 

Dans

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This guy is so good. He's both a finisher and a creator. I'd pay 40-50m for him.

Check out both his goal and assist against Nice tonight.
 

breakout67

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This guy is so good. He's both a finisher and a creator. I'd pay 40-50m for him.

Check out both his goal and assist against Nice tonight.
Yep, a good player in the making. Although 40-50m is a bit low, since average players are going for that nowadays.
 

izec

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Yep, a good player in the making. Although 40-50m is a bit low, since average players are going for that nowadays.
Not sure Lille could ask for a lot of money, maybe 60-70m at max. Him and Chiesa would be my favourites for the RW, both are currently in top form and still young and improving.
 

breakout67

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Not sure Lille could ask for a lot of money, maybe 60-70m at max. Him and Chiesa would be my favourites for the RW, both are currently in top form and still young and improving.
Yep 60-70m would be what I expect him to go for. If he was a defender then id say 40-50 would be about right, but attackers come with a premium generally.
 

Wayne's World

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Been a star for Lille this season, really impressed with his finishing and composure in front of goal, he never looks like he's going to miss when he gets himself into position.

Definitely one to watch in the summer and see how he gets on for the rest of the season.
 

SCP

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I was watching their game for the first time this season. I don't know how much time he will stay there, to judge someone based on 90 minutes isn't much, but his numbers for them this season are incredible.
 

sam147

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He is becoming a top player this season but he isnt a youth talent. He is around the same age as Depay. I for one would be happy with signing him. We are in desperate need of a RW who can hit the ground running and Pepe is just coming into his peak. He can go both ways and he can finish. Hope the good performances continue. The signing makes too much sense thats why I expect United not to do it.
 

Hugh Jass

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Yep 60-70m would be what I expect him to go for. If he was a defender then id say 40-50 would be about right, but attackers come with a premium generally.
I was kind of making this point to another poster. I did not think it was worth breaking the bank, as in spending 90 million on a defender. Max 65 million, yes, maybe 70 with additions. I can understand if it was an attacker or MF yes.
 

Devil may care

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I watched the Lille game tonight, decent goal and assist but the defending from Nice was horrendous.
 

SCP

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I watched the Lille game tonight, decent goal and assist but the defending from Nice was horrendous.
Tbh also watched and Nice looked soft. Problem is that he has incredible numbers if we forget the usual suspects at PSG. Maybe United is a big step, don't know, but Lille will make a lot of money with him this Summer.
 

Devil may care

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Tbh also watched and Nice looked soft. Problem is that he has incredible numbers if we forget the usual suspects at PSG. Maybe United is a big step, don't know, but Lille will make a lot of money with him this Summer.
The thing for me is when he runs with the ball he doesn't have tight control of it but there is so much space in Ligue 1 it's not a big issue, I don't think he'll get away with that in the PL, my prediction is he'll go to Arsenal.
 

ArjenIsM3

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The thing for me is when he runs with the ball he doesn't have tight control of it but there is so much space in Ligue 1 it's not a big issue, I don't think he'll get away with that in the PL, my prediction is he'll go to Arsenal.
Yeah I think you're right. Someone like Hazard with great control would be better for us. Sancho is the obvious but very expensive choice. Any other options?
 

SCP

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The thing for me is when he runs with the ball he doesn't have tight control of it but there is so much space in Ligue 1 it's not a big issue, I don't think he'll get away with that in the PL, my prediction is he'll go to Arsenal.
Never easy to predict really.

Sometimes players who arrive coming with huge stats and fees struggle to adapt and others who even weren'ts as rated there like Kanté or Mahrez have a good impact. Or he can go like Lacazette, struggle to impose himself on his first season and improves in the second one.

One thing is sure, big clubs will go after him.
 

VorZakone

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Never easy to predict really.

Sometimes players who arrive coming with huge stats and fees struggle to adapt and others who even weren'ts as rated there like Kanté or Mahrez have a good impact. Or he can go like Lacazette, struggle to impose himself on his first season and improves in the second one.

One thing is sure, big clubs will go after him.
Payet also did well immediately.
 

Devil may care

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Yeah I think you're right. Someone like Hazard with great control would be better for us. Sancho is the obvious but very expensive choice. Any other options?
I don't think it's the price that is prohibitive for us when it comes to Sancho, I think it's that Dortmund will want to keep him at least one more season and he seems level headed so he will probably be happy to stay there another season in a lower pressure environment. As for other options, there's Under and Chiesa in Serie A and some still rate Leon Bailey from Leverkusen, plus we are getting linked to the PSV lad, none of them have Sancho's ceiling though IMO.

Never easy to predict really.

Sometimes players who arrive coming with huge stats and fees struggle to adapt and others who even weren'ts as rated there like Kanté or Mahrez have a good impact. Or he can go like Lacazette, struggle to impose himself on his first season and improves in the second one.

One thing is sure, big clubs will go after him.
Agreed, there are no real certainties when it comes to transfers, whether it's from another league or within your own league, and I agree that one of the bigger sides will take a punt on him, apparently he likes Chelsea and they might be in the market for another wide man as Hazard will likely be off to Madrid and it seems Hudson-Odoi is determined to leave.
 

BBRBB

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He is Ivorian.

If you mean from French league, how many good players have we bought from there? Djembax2/ Obertan/ Bellion come to mind.
He is French born and raised, from the French football system and has the nationality, like many others playing for African NTs.
 

JPRouve

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He is French born and raised, from the French football system and has the nationality, like many others playing for African NTs.
It's nothing but it always irks me, particularly when it's extremely common for France. He plays for Ivory Coast but he is french, like hundreds of other players.
 

Dans

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He is becoming a top player this season but he isnt a youth talent. He is around the same age as Depay. I for one would be happy with signing him. We are in desperate need of a RW who can hit the ground running and Pepe is just coming into his peak. He can go both ways and he can finish. Hope the good performances continue. The signing makes too much sense thats why I expect United not to do it.
To counter your point, I don't think we should be going after youth talent, rather exactly the Pepe profile player - Depay is the case in point here too actually. Go after players who have developed to a high level at age 23/24, then bring them to United. Pepe will have had two good seasons under his belt in a top league (albeit far off Spain or England granted), has broken in to his national team squad and is ripe for the next step at a time in his career where he can make either an immediate or year later impact for us (see also Lacazette). Signing 18 year olds is really quite pointless at United these days - Depay crumbled under the pressure - he was not young enough to come into our youth teams but was bought at a very young age and expected to make immediate impact - completely unrealistic expectations on our part.
 

mav_9me

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He is French born and raised, from the French football system and has the nationality, like many others playing for African NTs.
It's nothing but it always irks me, particularly when it's extremely common for France. He plays for Ivory Coast but he is french, like hundreds of other players.
Fair enough. I wasn't aware.
 

Adam-Utd

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His all round game could be better but he has flashes of brilliance, a bit like martial tbh.

We need a player like that though especially against the minnows. We don’t have enough flat track bullies.