Pepe found regular game time hard to come by last season due to current boss Mikel Arteta’s trust in young star Bukayo Saka out on the flank of the Gunners’ attack.
The Ivory Coast international made 23 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal during the 2021/22 season, featuring for fewer than 1,000 minutes in total, but recorded three goals and six assists.
Mertesacker commented that he saw, during his tenure as the Gunners’ assistant coach in 2019 before Arteta’s appointment, that the 27-year-old has bags of potential.
“I saw throughout the three weeks that I was coaching the first team that he has major potential”, Mertesacker said to Sky Sports News.
Pepe is Arsenal’s record signing after the Gunners paid Lille £72m for his signature following a successful season in Ligue 1.
Mertesacker remains hopeful that the Ivorian will come good in an Arsenal shirt and truly showcase why he fetched such a big sum.
“Hopefully we can see that at Arsenal”, he added.
Arsenal narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification last season, finishing in fifth place and two points behind north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
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