Arsenal's club record signing Nicolas Pépé has called on manager Unai Emery to start him alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette more often this season.
The Ivory Coast international was the star of this week's Europa League fixtures after scoring two free-kicks during a 15-minute cameo appearances against Vitória Guimarães - Pépé's biggest impact since arriving for £72m.
Pépé has admitted that Aubameyang and Lacazette are helping him to settle off the pitch, but the former Lille star now wants Arsenal's manager to start letting the club's three most expensive players of all time develop their relationship on this pitch.
"We have played very little together, maybe just around 30 minutes," Pépé said, quoted by The Metro. "As soon as I arrived they helped me. For us, it is to understand each other. I hope we will play more together.
"I am not at my best physically because I didn’t have a proper pre-season like the others. I was at the Africa Cup of Nations. I started little by little and the manager knew about it. I am trying to work hard to be stronger physically to perform well."
It hasn't been a seamless transition into Premier League football for Pépé, who in France last season was only outscored by Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappé.
The 24-year-old has put in some impressive performances in big games of Arsenal this season, but until Thursday's win over Vitória, Pépé wasn't able to turn displays on the pitch into goals or assists.
As well as getting used to a new league, Pépé has also had to adapt to living in London, but Arsenal's £72m signing insists his family have played a big part in helping him to focus on his performances this season.
"The key to adapting is to have good people around you," he added. "I have my family here with me so I can be good mentally, especially when things are not going well. I rely a lot on them.
"For me, it was always going to be difficult to come here to the unknown, with a different language. So to have my family with me is important."
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Source :
90min
