Reported Chelsea target Nicolas Pepe will be leaving Lille this summer, manager Christophe Galtier has confirmed.
A report published by the Mirror back in April linked Chelsea with Pepe as a replacement for Real Madrid bound Eden Hazard.
The Mirror’s information claimed that Pepe is valued at £70M by Lille, but that may be a small price to pay for a player with his potential.
Chelsea may soon be granted the opportunity to purchase him, too. Quotes carried by the Daily Mail reveal Lille boss Galtier admitting Pepe is set to leave:
“He is a player of the highest level who will have a big decision to make on the choice of his next club. There will be a battle between the great European teams.”
“I hope that he will take good amount of time to think about it, do his research, like he did when he came here and when he decided to stay here (last summer), find the right project..”
The Daily Mail’s report also mentions Manchester United and Arsenal as potential suitors, but neither side have qualified for the Champions League.
If Chelsea successfully suspend the transfer ban and can make transfers this summer, Pepe ought to be high up on our list of priorities in the market.
Not only to replace Hazard, but to create a new-look attack when Pedro and Willian are eventually phased out. It could be special.
