Premier League duo Arsenal and Chelsea are eyeing a move for FC Porto winger Pepe in the summer transfer window, according to Globo Esporte.
Both London clubs are keen on strengthening their forward lines ahead of next season and have reportedly identified Pepe as a target ahead of the summer.
The Gunners brought in Leandro Trossard from Brighton in the winter transfer window and he has impressed so far at the Emirates Stadium.
The Belgium international has racked up 12 appearances and made seven goal contributions in all competitions as Mikel Arteta’s side sits top of the Premier League table with 69 points, eight points ahead of defending champions Manchester City.
Despite his outstanding displays for Arsenal, the North Londoners are in the market for another forward and are showing a keen interest in Pepe, as per the report.
The Porto ace was first linked with a move to Arsenal last summer but Arteta opted to sign Fabio Vieira instead. It appears the 26-year-old is back on Arsenal’s radar, but they face stern competition from London rivals Chelsea.
The Blues are also preparing for another busy transfer window as they plan a summer clear-out to avoid the Financial Fair Play sanction. Shifting some dead wood will make room for further new signings and Pepe is on their radar.
Globo Esporte claims Pepe has a release clause of around £66m (€75m) in his contract, making the deal less complicated.
Reinforcement
According to Globo Esporte, Pepe’s representatives have already received an offer of around £44m (€50m) for the player from an unnamed club. It’s not clear if the offer came from Arsenal or Chelsea but there has been interest from Spanish and French clubs as well.
Pepe is one of the standout players in Primeira Liga this season, making 13 goal contributions in 43 appearances across all competitions for FC Porto who lie second on the league table with 58 points, 10 points behind leaders Benfica.
He is versatile and can play a number of positions including both flanks as well as an attacking midfielder. He joined Porto in 2021 from Gremio after banging in 20 goals in 86 league appearances.
Arsenal need to add depth to their attack to allow them to rotate the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka more often and the arrival of Pepe would be a good addition to the team.
Chelsea beat off competition from Arsenal to the signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke in January, however, Potter would like to bring in another winger as Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic have been tipped to leave the club in the summer.
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