Arsenal set to make final Wilfried Zaha approach after sealing Nicolas Pepe transfer

Arsenal are could still be interested in Wilfried Zaha despite the imminent arrival of Nicoals Pepe (Image: GETTY)

ARSENAL are still keen to sign Wilfried Zaha despite the imminent arrival of Nicolas Pepe in a club-record deal, according to reports.

Pepe, 24, is set to finalise his £72million switch from Lille any time and that appeared to signal the end of their interest in fellow Ivorian winger Zaha.

However, i News claim Arsenal still want the Crystal Palace star even if he would cost around £60million.

Arsenal went into the summer transfer window amid reports they only had £40m to spend on new players after failing to qualify for the Champions League for a third successive season.

After Pepe’s arrival is confirmed, Arsenal will have spent a combined £105m on new faces following the arrivals of Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba.

Meanwhile, Dani Ceballos has joined on loan from Real Madrid and they are paying a sizeable loan fee to take him for the 2019-20 campaign.

The Gunners appear to have got around their financial restrictions by paying the Pepe fee in instalments over five years and they came to a similar arrangement for Saliba, who has been sent back on loan to Saint-Etienne for next term.

The report from i News claims Arsenal will do the same with Zaha who is understood to be keen on moving to the Emirates.

Even so, manager Unai Emery is well-stocked in attack already with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.

If they sign Zaha, it remains to be seen how he would fit it into the side but his brother, Judicael Zaha, has previously urged the club to do all they can to sign him.

“Wilfried will always hold Crystal Palace and their fans in the highest regard and all the support they have given means the world to him,” he said at the beginning of July.

“It is my brother’s dream, though, to play for Arsenal.

“Given all that Wilfried has given to Crystal Palace to help them remain a Premier League club, I hope Palace will be able to see their way to agreeing a deal with Arsenal that allows Wilfried to realise his dream of playing European football for the club he has supported since childhood.”

Zaha still has four years left to run on his contract at Selhurst Park so Palace are under little pressure to sell right now.

He has said he wants to play at the highest level, although Arsenal cannot offer him Champions League football next term.

The Ivory Coast international spent two years at Manchester United after moving there to Old Trafford from Palace in 2013.