Arsenal target Pepe will be at a top club next season - Boga

Jeremie Boga is confident his friend and fellow Ivory Coast international Nicolas Pepe will be leaving Lille for one of Europe's elite clubs in the summer amid reported interest from clubs such as Bayern Munich and Arsenal.

The 23-year-old has been in sublime form this campaign and has already netted 18 goals in 30 Ligue 1 appearances, while setting up an additional nine.

His fine performances have earned him the interest of some of Europe's leading clubs and Boga has little doubt Pepe will be plying his trade at the highest level in 2019-20.

"Of course, with the season that he has had this year then I think next year that he will definitely go to a top club," Boga told Goal .

"He needs to make sure he makes the right decision on which one, but I am sure that next year he will be an attacker for a top, top club.

"I know him very well. He is a very good guy. He is technical, fast and clinical. You can see this year that he has been scoring a lot of goals and having a fantastic season. I am really happy for him."

Boga's season has been interrupted by injury after he made his decision to leave Chelsea for Sassuolo in a £4 million move in the summer.

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However, he has since gone on to play five games in a row, and he is hopeful that he can continue his run of form to earn a place in Ivory Coast's side for this summer's Africa Cup of Nations tournament.

He thinks his country can be a dominant force again in the competition, as they attempt to win it for the third time.

"It is a lot of young talented players, and we have a great future," he added. "We need to keep playing as a team and fighting as a team. I think that the results will come. That’s my goal. I want to do everything I can to be in this squad.

"We are a big nation with a lot of known and world-class players, so I think winning it should be the goal of all our players. It is true that I am a bit disappointed that I was not in the Ivory Coast squad [for the March internationals], but I wasn’t expecting too much because I have been injured and only started the last five games.

"I will keep working hard and make sure to do my best to be in the squad by the time of the African Cup of Nations."