Bayern Munich reportedly initiate talks with Lille for Nicolas Pepe
Bayern Munich have reportedly begun negotiations with Lille OSC to sign 23-year-old Ivorian winger Nicolas Pepe.
Bayern Munich are peaking at the right moment and have now surpassed Borussia Dortmund atop the Bundesliga table after their 6-0 win over Wolfsburg earlier today. Die Roten will be eager to win a seventh consecutive Bundesliga title and send off legends Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery with another trophy. Bayern will have a huge job on their hand in the summer replacing the two wingers that have led their club for the past decade.
The Bavarians made numerous bids in January to sign Callum Hudson-Odoi from Chelsea. The Blues stood firm, though, and rejected all offers for the 18-year-old. Bayern are reportedly going to go back after the Englishman in the summer, but Chelsea’s transfer ban could make things complicated.
Nicolas Pepe has reportedly emerged as an alternative for the English teenager. Bayern have been heavily linked with the Ivory Coast international in the past few months.
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There have been some promising claims from the French media this week regarding a potential transfer. According to Le10sport, Bayern have shown concrete interest in Nicolas Pepe. The Bavarians have reportedly begun negotiations with Lille and have already contacted Pepe’s agents. They face tough competition for the winger’s signature, though, as both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are interested as well.
Lille will be hoping to start a bidding war for their star player. The club’s owner recently admitted that they are not going to listen to any offers below €50 million for him. Pepe’s agent has also insisted that the player will make a decision on his future club at the end of this season. There is no doubt that both the club and player are sure that this will be his last season at the club. The only question is where his next destination will be.
Pepe is likely to be the direct replacement of Arjen Robben should he move to Munich. A left-footed player who primarily operates on the right, he has been the main goal-scoring threat for Lille this season, with 17 goals across all competitions. The Ivory Coast international has also shown his creativity in the final third by grabbing eight assists in Ligue 1. Pepe’s incredible finishing and movement in the final third make him capable of playing as a number nine as well.
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Bayern Munich have three young wide players at the club right now. Kingsley Coman is expected to become a key man in the absence of Robben and Franck Ribery, but he continues to struggle with injuries. Serge Gnabry is enjoying a fine debut campaign, and Die Roten will be hoping that his productivity increases even further next summer. Alphonso Davies, meanwhile, is still adapting to the new league, so a key prolific wide player like Pepe would be a fine addition to Bayern’s squad.