Now that the transfer window is closed, a few players have started coming forward and discussing why their transfers never went through, or why they wanted to leave and did.
One potential transfer was very well covered in France, with Angers forward Nicolas Pepe attracting some strong interest from both Newcastle United and Hull City during the second half of the transfer window.
Marcos Silva’s side were said to have made a €9m + bonuses offer on transfer deadline day for the Ivory Coast international, while Rafael Benitez’s Newcastle had been following the player for a while, and were very interested in his services.
Pepe eventually decided to stay with the Ligue 1 club, and, speaking to L’Equipe on Thursday, revealed how he spent the manic day as both Newcastle and Hull were battling it out to sign him, alongside Olympique de Marseille.
He said: “I tried to live that as calmly as possible. I left my agents and Olivier Pickeu (the club’s CEO) do the work. I didn’t really get involved. Either way, I never really saw myself in England straight away.
“In my head somewhere, I wanted to stay at Angers because I don’t want people thinking I want to leave. I also wanted to help the club stay up. I don’t want to skip too many steps.”
By the sounds of things, unless a huge offer comes on the table in the summer, were Pepe to leave Angers in June, it would be for a team in France, most likely Marseille or Lyon, who both made offers for the player on transfer deadline day.
Clearly conscious that moving to Newcastle or Hull could mean stagnating his career if he doesn’t get time on the pitch, the 21-year-old appears to be well surrounded, which is always a good sign.
Perhaps in a year or two then?
