Nicolas Pepe will return to Arsenal this summer as Ligue 1 outfit Nice confirmed they will not be entering negotiations over a permanent deal with the attacker.
The 28-year-old spent the 2022-23 campaign in Nice with Didier Digard's side, helping the club finish ninth in the top tier of French football.
An injury-riddled term saw the Ivorian start just 17 league matches for Les Aiglons, with the winger suffering a knee issue in late April which prematurely ended his involvement in the season.
It has now been confirmed by Nice that they have decided against attempting to lure Pepe to the Allianz Riviera permanently this summer, meaning he will return to Arsenal ahead of the 2023-24 term.
The Gunners signed Pepe from French club Lille for a club-record fee of £72m in 2019, but he has so far struggled to live up to his price tag in North London.
With one year left on the player's deal, Mikel Arteta's men have to sell the former Angers man this summer or they risk losing him for nothing following the conclusion of next season.
Carter White
