Arsenal star Pepe likened to Ronaldo & Mbappe as he strives to make himself the ‘perfect’ player.

Lille sporting director Luis Campos has likened Nicolas Pepe to Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe as he revealed that he constantly taking measures to improve his game and make himself “more perfect”.

The Ivory Coast international forward traded the Ligue 1 side for the Emirates Stadium in the summer for a club-record €79m (£72m/$87m), having scored 22 times in France’s top-flight last season.

Pepe has not made an express start in England, however, netting only once in his Premier League career to date and picking up a couple of assists.
“In my opinion one of the characteristics of a top, top player is that they like football,” Campos told Sky Sports .

“I remember working with Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe: they know everything about football. Mbappe knew all the results of the second division in France.

“Nicolas Pepe is like that. He’s another example of the importance of a player liking football.

“After a game he watches the whole game again two times, to make himself more perfect.”

Arsene Wenger, the former Gunners boss, is another who has defended the performances of Pepe in the past , explaining to Omnisport : “I like the player and I thought it was a good decision to sign in.

“He’s not yet completely adapted and you have to give him some time.

“He looks a little bit to be playing not with the freedom he did in France at the moment.

“I see some characteristics of his game, especially off the ball, that don’t happen at the moment.”

With Arsenal bursting at the seams with promising young wide talent, including Reiss Nelson and Bukayo Saka, the pressure is on Pepe to start delivering his best level soon, or else he could find it difficult to defend a regular place in the starting.

The former Angers attacker is currently on international duty, with his Ivory Coast side playing DR Congo in a friendly on Sunday.