Nicolas Pepe arrives in London for Arsenal medical ahead of £72m transfer from Lille

NICOLAS PEPE has arrived in London for a medical at Arsenal ahead of his £72million switch from Lille.

The Ivorian winger, 24, is on course to become the Gunners’ record signing and is expected to sign a five-year-deal.

He is currently having his first official Arsenal photos taken, according to reports.

The Gunners are paying just £20m up-front and the remaining £52m in instalments over the next five years.

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Which means the North Londoners have somehow bagged a deal that sees them pay just 28 percent of the overall fee up-front.

Reports earlier in the summer suggested the Gunners had just £45m to spend in this transfer window.

But they have already splashed the cash on £27m man William Saliba from Saint Etienne, £6m on Brazilian Gabriel Martinelli and a whopping £15m to bring Dani Ceballos in from Real Madrid ON LOAN.

And Arsenal are still in the running to sign Celtic’s Kieran Tierney for around £25m.

Life was not kind to Pepe as a child but the poverty-stricken youngster born to Ivorian migrants in northern France knew he was going to be a pro aged six.

The 24-year-old’s arrival likely signals the end of Wilfried Zaha’s chances of an Emirates switch – especially after Crystal Palace claimed he was not for sale.

Everton now appear to be favourites for the Ivorian, but saw a £55m bid rejected by the Eagles.

Emery hopes Pepe can form an attack with £60m signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

And Gunners’ fans on social media were delighted at the ambitious move.

One supporter, tired of missing out on top players, tweeted: “Genuinely crazy how willing I am to forgive and forget everything if this one player signs.”