Arsenal did not overpay for Nicolas Pepe, says Lille president Gerard Lopez
Lille's president Gerard Lopez has told Sky Sports News he doesn't think that Nicolas Pepe joining Arsenal was a reason why the Gunners' head of football Raul Sanllehi has decided to leave the club.
Sanllehi departed the club over the weekend after two-and-a-half years at the Emirates Stadium, and has been replaced by former managing director Vinai Venkatesham - with technical director Edu and head coach Mikel Arteta now heading up their footballing and recruitment direction.
Ivory Coast international Pepe, 25, arrived at Arsenal from Lille in a club-record £72m deal last August.
Amid an ongoing overhaul of their recruitment operations, Arsenal have denied reports that an internal investigation has also been launched into why the north London club spent so much the winger in last year's summer transfer window.
When asked about whether he thought Pepe's transfer had anything to do with Sanllehi's departure from the club, Lopez told Sky Sports News: "I think it is made up stuff.
"I know for a fact he has an excellent relationship with the club and they left on excellent terms.
"There are always going to be stories that try to be interesting, Arsenal are going through a restructuring which is part of what happens. He is a great guy, it is a great club and as far as I can see they both [Arsenal and Sanllehi] respect each other immensely.
"They have a player [Pepe] where people forget his age, and the fact he took one season to click within our system and then became the player which we all know.
"He has had a good second half of the season at Arsenal and he is one of the rare players who can make something happen from nothing.
"The more comfortable he gets at the club, the more he will make things happen so I think the best is yet to come."
Lille have now signed Jonathan David - who scored 18 goals in the Belgian top flight last year and was attracting interest from Arsenal and Manchester United - for £27m from Gent.
The move has likely spelled an end to their pursuit of Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, with the club having cooled their interest in the Colombia international after agreeing personal terms with him over a move to Ligue 1 last month.