Paul Merson urges Arsenal to revive move for old Unai Emery target to replace Nicolas Pepe

Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has told the club to sign Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha this summer to replace the struggling Nicolas Pepe.

The Gunners are due to travel to Selhurst Park on Monday night, a game which Zaha is a doubt for after picking up a hamstring injury while on international duty with Ivory Coast.

Back in 2019, Arsenal attempted to buy the former Manchester United winger but their £40million bid was rejected as it fell well below Palace’s valuation, with then-manager Unai Emery eventually giving up the pursuit and signing Zaha’s international teammate Nicolas Pepe from Lille for a club record £72m instead.

But in his column for the Daily Star, Merson insisted that the club should have another crack at trying to sign the 29-year-old, saying: ‘It’s a good time for Mikel Arteta to buy him. You’d get him a bit cheaper and he’s a better player now than he was when they tried before.

‘I think he would have made a difference to Arsenal. He’s better than Nicolas Pepe. He draws players towards him and makes things happen.’

While he has shown flashes of brilliance, Pepe has struggled to make an impact at the Emirates, with just one league goal this season and the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe ahead of him in the pecking order.

Critics of Arsenal’s recruitment have suggested the club signed the wrong player and with a return to the Champions League next season on the cards, Merson believes it is time to cut their losses and put things right.

He said: ‘They are going to need another winger if they get in the top four. They’re going to play a lot of matches next season if they get back in Europe. That means a bigger squad, and I like Zaha, I think he would fit in well there.

‘I think Pepe goes this