Arsenal’s decision to favour a deal for Nicolas Pepe over an agreement for Wilfried Zaha is understandable, says Ray Parlour, but the former Gunners star admits he would love to see the Crystal Palace winger at Emirates Stadium.
Discussions were held with Zaha, with the Ivory Coast international making it clear that he would be open to linking up with the club he supported as a boy. Arsenal were, however, to snap up the 28-year-old’s fellow countryman Pepe with a club-record £72 million ($98m) deal put in place.
Little value has been found in that agreement, with those in north London left to ponder whether the right choices have been made.