Nicolas Pepe has admitted he is frustrated at his lack of game time at Arsenal.
The Ivory Coast international has been underwhelming since joining the Gunners from Lille in the summer of 2019 for a club record fee of £72million.
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There have been unquestionable moments of quality, but just 11 goals in 54 appearances has been a disappointing return for the front man, who has struggled to cement a place in Arteta’s starting XI.
And Pepe has now admitted his lack of first team minutes his hindering his ability to show his quality.
“My goal is to play more. Have a little more playing time,” Pepe told Canal Plus.
“He [Arteta] wants me to be 100 per cent focused during the 90 minutes of the match. Afterwards, I see during training that I will be a substitute the following weekend.
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“But the coach speaks to me, he also has assistants who are there for that. But it is frustrating for any player to be on the bench.”
Pepe added: “The coach makes his choices. It’s up to me to show him that I don’t have that role.”
Last month, Arsenal icon Alan Smith said his former club overpaid for Pepe, admitting he is now a ‘problem’ for Arteta.
He told 101 Great Goals: “Well Nicolas Pepe is a problem in a way because he cost so much money. “To a certain extent you’re under a little bit of pressure to play him even if you don’t start him. He has disappointed.
“I was hoping in his second season that he would kick on. Clearly Arsenal paid far too much money for him. ‘Willian has been brought in who can play on the right-hand side although he is a much different player, but much more reliable.
“We’ve seen in little glimpses that he [Pepe] can be exciting, he can turn a game.
“However, he’s got to bring more consistency to his game and I just hope that can happen in an Arsenal shirt.”
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