{"id":4853,"date":"2024-11-27T16:33:39","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T16:33:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/why-ex-arsenal-winger-rejected-ancelotti-in-favour-of-emery-before-e80m-transfer-to-north-london-football-italia-november-27-latest\/"},"modified":"2024-11-27T16:33:45","modified_gmt":"2024-11-27T16:33:45","slug":"why-ex-arsenal-winger-rejected-ancelotti-in-favour-of-emery-before-e80m-transfer-to-north-london-football-italia-november-27-latest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/betwealthsuretips.com\/blog\/why-ex-arsenal-winger-rejected-ancelotti-in-favour-of-emery-before-e80m-transfer-to-north-london-football-italia-november-27-latest\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Ex-Arsenal winger rejected Ancelotti in favour of Emery before \u20ac80m transfer to North London – Football Italia – November 27 latest"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"LONDON,<\/picture><\/div>\n

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 24: Nicolas Pepe of Arsenal scores their sides first goal past Jose Sa of Wolverhampton Wanderers during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Emirates Stadium on February 24, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has revealed that he was close to joining Napoli before eventually sealing an \u20ac80m transfer to North London in 2019, but a phone call with Unai Emery convinced him to turn down Carlo Ancelotti and the Partenopei.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Pepe became Arsenal\u2019s most expensive signing ever when he joined on an \u20ac80m fee from Lille, a record that has only recently been surpassed by Declan Rice with his \u20ac115m move from West Ham.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Though he ended up at Arsenal, Pepe has revealed that he had also been in negotiations with Napoli that summer, but decided to join Emery at Arsenal rather than Ancelotti at Napoli after conversations with the two tacticians.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that Emery was able to speak with Pepe for around an hour in his mother tongue was one of the main contributing factors to his decision to join the Gunners, as well as his detail in describing the project at Arsenal.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI had a phone call with Carlo Ancelotti, who was Napoli coach at the time,\u201d the current Villarreal forward said in an interview with The Athletic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt lasted five minutes. Half an hour later, I received another call, this time from Unai Emery. It lasted an hour.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe told me exactly what he was looking for, everything he would expect from me if I joined Arsenal. He spoke about tactics, what he wanted from me, where he was going to play me, how I could expect to improve under him, lots of detail.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAnd although he\u2019s not a great French speaker, he spoke to me in French for a whole hour. It was a small thing, but it impressed me. I felt his desire to work with me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I signed, It wasn\u2019t the club, it was the coach. When someone wants you like that, you go.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n