p>Nicolas Pépé made headlines once again – this time by scoring against his former side Arsenal in a pre-season friendly at the Emirates Stadium, as Villarreal edged the Gunners 3-2 in a lively encounter.

The Ivorian winger, once Arsenal’s record signing at £72 million, opened the scoring early in the first half. Pépé capitalised on a defensive lapse and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner. There was no celebration from the 29-year-old – just a quiet nod, as if acknowledging a complicated past.

Pépé made 112 appearances for Arsenal following his big-money move from Lille in 2019 but struggled to live up to expectations. Despite flashes of brilliance, inconsistency and injuries marred his time in North London. After loan spells at OGC Nice and Trabzonspor, Pépé moved to La Liga in search of a fresh start.