Arsenal brought in Nicolas Pepe from Lille during the summer transfer window and there’s no doubt the Gunners have managed to land a gem.
Pepe joined Lille in 2017 and last season the winger played 38 games in Ligue 1 managing to net a staggering 22 goals and provide 11 assists.
These stats were more than enough to convince Arsenal to not only sign him up but to also splash €80 million in order to fend off the other suitors.
Now though reports have claimed that long before Arsenal made a move for Nicolas Pepe, it was then Man United manager Jose Mourinho who had asked the Red Devils to sign him.
But unlike his other referrals, Woodward chose to reject this too which is now believed to be the main reason why Arsenal were able to sign Nicolas Pepe so easily.
Jose Mourinho was sacked by Man United last December and since then the Portuguese has been without a job. But recent rumours have suggested that he is looking to become the next Arsenal manager.
Obviously, the Gunners management will not part ways with Unai Emery so easily but if the job opens up then surely Mourinho will the first in line to replace the Spaniard.
VERDICT:
Jose Mourinho had always been at war with the Man United management and there are numerous players who the club failed to sign despite the manager wanting them desperately.
Mourinho badly needed a central defender but somehow Woodward failed to make that signing and now it looks like Nicolas Pepe too got out of their hands.
It is still unknown as to why Woodward would have failed to sign Nicolas Pepe but some theories claim that Mourinho had marked out the Ivorian when he was still playing at Angers and the United management did not want to spend money on an unwanted talent.
