When people talk about the 29-year-old Ivory Coast international, they often mention the then club-record £72m fee Arsenal paid to sign him from Lille. Pepe acknowledges he struggled with the pressure of this price tag.
"It wasn't easy at all, and the fans weren't happy with my performance," he told BBC Sport. "When I first joined, fans judged me by the price tag, not my performance. But I believe I did some great things at Arsenal. I don't regret my time there. But being the club's highest transfer, they expected me to score in every match."
Arsenal signed Pepe in 2019 after an outstanding season with Lille, where he scored 23 goals and provided 12 assists. However, he never matched that success in England.
He played his last game for Arsenal in 2022 and, after a loan spell at Nice, left Turkish side Trabzonspor last summer, having joined them on a free transfer from Arsenal the previous September. Pepe's childhood dream was to play for Arsenal, inspired by a Thierry Henry shirt gifted by his brother.
During his first two seasons in English football, Pepe scored 24 goals and made 15 assists in 91 matches. He believes his reputation as a 'flop' is due to the 2019 transfer fee. "If Arsenal bought me for £20m, maybe it'd be different," he said. "It's not the player's fault. They don't ask for £100m or £90m. But that's the reality of football, and people can't understand it. There are also players like [Mykhailo] Mudryk and Antony who don't always perform their best, yet they're not considered bad players."
Despite his disappointing time at the Emirates Stadium, Pepe is grateful for how Arsenal handled his 2023 exit and still respects manager Mikel Arteta. "They helped me when leaving, which was difficult because I was injured. They helped me find a club quickly, so I definitely left on good terms. I have always had a great relationship with Arteta. It's just that he didn't have full confidence in me, which is a shame. He built a winning team, and I wasn't part of that. But I respect him, and I know he respects me too. I wish him all the best."
Pepe believes his difficult time at Arsenal has made him mentally stronger. "With the pressure I faced at Arsenal, I'm in a good headspace now. I no longer pay attention to criticism because it has given me thick skin. I'm prepared for any eventuality and feel great."
Getting back into physical form is crucial for Pepe after injury-plagued spells at Nice and Trabzonspor. "It's been two years since I've done pre-season. I feel great when I start pre-season. I'm physically in good form and need it to return to being the fast player I used to be."
Pepe seems hopeful about his future after a meeting at his agency about his next move. He hopes to announce his new club soon and isn't ruling out a return to English football to face his critics head-on. "I've learned a lot. I'm the same player, just older, which is normal. I can replicate my past performances. I need to play based on my physical condition, the confidence of the club, and the love from the fans. When a player performs well, it's because he has all those things: a supportive coach, club, and fans. That's essential for a player to play well."
"We listen to all offers, and my representatives let me know a club's real intentions. If it's not a serious offer, I don't hear about it. Let's see what happens. But I'm not ruling out a return to England."
