'They're not bad players' - Arsenal big-money flop defends Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk and Man Utd star Antony and admits he's 'not ruling out' Premier League return

Pepe was considered to be Arsenal's next big star following his £72 million ($89.6m) from Lille in the summer of 2019. However, the Ivorian failed to live up to his price tag and was heavily criticized during his time with the Gunners. The 29-year-old has now leapt to the defence of both Mudryk and Antony, who have also struggled to impress in the Premier League after arriving for massive fees.

Speaking to BBC Sport, the Ivorian said: "It wasn't easy at all. And the fans weren't happy with how I was performing. When I first joined, the fans weren't really judging my performances, they were judging the price tag. But I think I did some great things while at Arsenal. I don't regret my time there. But my transfer fee to the club was the highest one they'd signed, so they expected me to score in each match.

"If Arsenal bought me for £20m, maybe it'd be different. It's not the player's fault. They don't ask for £100m or £90m. But that's how it is in the football world and it's something that people can't understand. There are also players like [Mykhailo] Mudryk and Antony who don't perform at their best all the time, and yet they're not bad players."

He also talked about Mikel Arteta and how he still respects the Spaniard for handling his departure from the Gunners in the summer of 2023. He said: "They helped me when leaving, which wasn't easy because I was injured, so my recovery wasn't easy... they helped me find a club quickly. So, I definitely left the club 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 put together a winning team, and sadly, I wasn't in that player turnover. But he's someone I respect, and I know he respects me too. And I wish him all the best.

"With the pressure I went through at Arsenal, I'm in a pretty good headspace now. It's something I no longer pay attention to because when you get a lot of criticism, you develop thick skin. So, now I'm prepared for any eventuality. I feel like I'm in a great headspace."

Pepe was sent out on loan by the Gunners in the summer of 2022 to Nice before he finally made the switch to Trabzonspor the next summer following the expiry of his contract with the Gunners. However, after an injury-riddled year with the Turkish side, Trabzonspor decided not to extend his contract and the Ivorian is now a free agent and has revealed that he remains open to making a return to England.

He said: "We listen to all offers, and then it's my representatives who'll let me know a club's real intentions, and 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."