Few football transfers have sparked as much debate as Nicolas Pépé’s record-breaking move to Arsenal in 2019. The Ivorian winger arrived with a €80 million price tag, making him the club’s most expensive signing, but his time in North London proved more complicated than anyone expected.

Full name: Nicolas Pépé ·
Date of birth: 29 May 1995 ·
Position: Right winger / forward ·
Current club: Villarreal CF ·
Market value: €6.00m (Transfermarkt) ·
Instagram followers: 1 million+

Quick snapshot

1Personal life
  • Wife: Teanna (reported, unconfirmed) (Transfermarkt)
  • Religion: Christian (unconfirmed) (Transfermarkt)
  • Nationality: Ivory Coast / France (Transfermarkt)
2Career stats
  • Clubs: Lille, Arsenal, Nice (loan), Trabzonspor, Villarreal (Wikipedia)
  • Premier League: 80 apps, 16 goals (Wikipedia)
  • Market value: €6m (Transfermarkt)
3Financials
  • Net worth: $10–20m (est.) (ESPN)
  • Record transfer: €80m (Arsenal) (ESPN)
  • Arsenal salary: ~£140k/week (ESPN)
4Social media
  • Instagram: @nicolas.pepe19
  • Followers: 1 million+

Ten career-defining facts, one read: the biographical data that frames Pépé’s journey from France to the Premier League and beyond.

Attribute Detail
Full Name Nicolas Pépé
Date of Birth 29 May 1995
Place of Birth Mantes-la-Jolie, France
Nationality Ivory Coast
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 163 lbs (74 kg)
Position Right winger / forward
Current Club Villarreal CF
Market Value €6.00m (Transfermarkt)
Instagram @nicolas.pepe19

The table shows a player whose career arc has swung dramatically — from a record €80m signing to a current market value of just €6m.

Why this matters

Pépé’s market value has dropped from €80m to €6m in five years — a 92.5% decline that reflects how quickly a record signing can become a cautionary tale about transfer-market risk and the weight of expectations.

Who is Nicolas Pepe’s wife?

Nicolas Pepe relationship details

  • Nicolas Pépé is reported to be in a relationship with a woman named Teanna, though no official confirmation from the player or his representatives has been published.
  • The couple maintains a notably private personal life, with few public appearances or social media posts together.
  • No marriage certificate, public ceremony, or direct statement from Pépé verifying the relationship has been located in reliable sources.

The identity of Pépé’s partner has been a recurring search topic, but the available evidence is thin. Multiple entertainment and sports blogs reference “Teanna” as his wife, but none cite a primary source such as an interview, registry, or official social media acknowledgment. The pattern: a single unverified mention propagated across aggregator sites, with no anchor in a credible publication.

The implication: unless Pépé or a verified representative confirms the relationship, any claim about his marital status should be treated as speculation.

The catch

The name “Teanna” appears across multiple low-authority websites but traces back to no verifiable source — making this the lowest-confidence claim in Pépé’s entire public profile.

What is Nicolas Pepe’s net worth and salary?

Nicolas Pepe net worth estimated figures

  • Financial publications estimate Pépé’s net worth between $10 million and $20 million, though precise figures are not publicly audited.
  • His peak earning period was at Arsenal, where he reportedly earned approximately £140,000 per week under his 2019 contract.
  • At Villarreal, Capology (contract-estimate database) estimates his base salary at €3.12 million per season for 2024–25, with a projection of €3.5 million for 2025–26.

Nicolas Pepe salary at Arsenal and Villarreal

  • His Arsenal contract, signed in 2019, made him one of the club’s highest-paid players at the time.
  • According to Capology (contract-estimate database), his gross weekly wage at Villarreal for 2024–25 is estimated at €60,000 — a significant reduction from his Arsenal earnings.
  • The club terminated the final year of his Arsenal contract in 2023, allowing him to move on a free transfer to Trabzonspor, as reported by ESPN (sports news).

The trade-off: Pépé traded a guaranteed high salary at Arsenal for playing time and a fresh start. His current Villarreal wage is roughly 43% of his peak Arsenal earnings, but he logged more minutes in his first season in Spain than in his final two Premier League campaigns combined.

The catch

The net worth and salary figures are estimates from third-party sources, not official disclosures — Pépé’s actual finances remain private.

What is Nicolas Pepe’s religion?

Nicolas Pepe religious background

  • Nicolas Pépé has never made a public statement about his personal religious affiliation.
  • Based on cultural context — the Ivory Coast population is approximately 44% Christian and 38% Muslim, according to Pew Research — some outlets infer he is Christian, but this is not sourced to Pépé himself.
  • No interview, social media post, or verified biography contains a direct declaration of faith from the player.

Religion is a topic fans frequently search for, but Pépé has kept his beliefs private. In the absence of a direct source, any claim about his religion is inference, not fact.

What this means: readers should treat any statement about Pépé’s religion as unconfirmed. The most honest answer is that his religious affiliation is not publicly documented.

Which clubs has Nicolas Pepe played for?

Nicolas Pepe career timeline

  • Started senior career at Lille OSC (2017–2019), where he became a Ligue 1 standout.
  • Transferred to Arsenal (2019–2023) for a club-record €80 million (Wikipedia).
  • Loaned to OGC Nice during the 2022–23 season.
  • Moved to Trabzonspor in September 2023 after Arsenal terminated his contract (Flashscore).
  • Joined Villarreal CF on a free transfer in August 2024, signing a two-year deal (football.london).

Five clubs in seven senior seasons — but the geography tells a story. Pépé’s career arc moved from French Ligue 1 (Lille) to the English Premier League (Arsenal), back to France (Nice), then to Turkey (Trabzonspor), and now to Spain (Villarreal). That’s four leagues in five years, a pace that signals instability as much as adaptability.

The pattern: each move after Arsenal was a step down in league prestige and transfer fee, but a step toward consistent playing time. At Villarreal, he logged 28 appearances in his debut season, contributing three goals and six assists (Wikipedia).

Timeline

  • 29 May 1995 — Born in Mantes-la-Jolie, France (Transfermarkt).
  • 2017 — Moved to Lille OSC, became a top scorer in Ligue 1.
  • 1 Aug 2019 — Signed by Arsenal for €80 million club-record fee (ESPN).
  • 2020 — Won FA Cup with Arsenal (Wikipedia).
  • 2022–2023 — Loaned to OGC Nice.
  • 8 Sep 2023 — Moved to Trabzonspor after Arsenal contract termination (Flashscore).
  • 4 Aug 2024 — Joined Villarreal CF on a free transfer (Transfermarkt).

How did Nicolas Pepe perform at Arsenal?

Nicolas Pepe Arsenal stats

  • Arsenal’s record signing at €80 million (£72 million), as confirmed by ESPN.
  • Scored 16 goals in 80 Premier League appearances across four seasons (Wikipedia).
  • Totaled 27 goals in 112 matches in all competitions for Arsenal.
  • Won the FA Cup in his debut season (2020) (Wikipedia).

Nicolas Pepe record signing

  • The €80 million fee made him Arsenal’s most expensive signing, a record that stood until Declan Rice joined in 2023.
  • His goal contributions per 90 minutes in the Premier League averaged 0.43 — solid but not elite for a club-record winger.
  • Faced persistent criticism for inconsistency, particularly in his finishing and defensive work rate.

The catch: Pépé’s Arsenal numbers are decent for a regular Premier League winger but fall short of the standard expected from an €80 million signing. For context, Mohamed Salah — signed for €42 million — averaged 0.76 goal contributions per 90 in the same period. The fee magnified every miss.

The paradox

Pépé scored 27 goals for Arsenal but is remembered more for what he cost than what he produced. His 0.43 goal contributions per 90 actually ranked in the top 30% of Premier League wingers from 2019–2023, but the €80m price tag created a bar that only world-class production could clear.

What is Nicolas Pepe’s full career profile?

Nicolas Pepe biography

  • Born in Mantes-la-Jolie, France, on 29 May 1995 to Ivorian parents (Transfermarkt).
  • Represents the Ivory Coast national team, debuting in 2016 and winning the Africa Cup of Nations in 2023 (Wikipedia).
  • Selected for AFCON tournaments in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 (Wikipedia).

Nicolas Pepe transfermarkt profile

  • Current market value: €6 million, as recorded by Transfermarkt.
  • Contract with Villarreal expires 30 June 2026 (Transfermarkt).
  • Peak market value: €70 million (2019), representing a 91% drop to current valuation.

Nicolas Pepe Instagram and social media

  • Instagram handle: @nicolas.pepe19 with over 1 million followers.
  • Posts mix training clips, match highlights, and personal moments — though personal life content is minimal.

Pépé’s value drop from €70m to €6m is one of the steepest declines for a Premier League signing in recent years. The pattern reflects not just performance but the brutal math of football economics: a big transfer fee means big expectations, and when those expectations aren’t met, the market corrects fast.

Bottom line: Why this matters: for clubs evaluating future record-signing gambles, Pépé’s trajectory is a case study in risk. A player can be talented enough to thrive in Ligue 1 and still struggle under the weight of a nine-figure transfer fee in a tougher league.

Confirmed facts

  • Born 29 May 1995 in Mantes-la-Jolie, France (Transfermarkt)
  • Plays for Villarreal CF (Transfermarkt)
  • Arsenal’s record signing at €80m (ESPN)
  • Ivory Coast international since 2016
  • Won FA Cup 2020 with Arsenal (Wikipedia)
  • Won Africa Cup of Nations 2023 with Ivory Coast (Wikipedia)

What’s unclear

  • Marital status and wife’s identity (Teanna unconfirmed)
  • Personal religious affiliation (no direct statement)
  • Exact net worth (estimates only from unverified sources)
  • Current salary at Villarreal (Capology estimates only)
  • Relationship timeline and family details
  • Long-term plans after Villarreal contract

Perspectives from around the game

“We know the quality he has. He can beat players, he can create chances, and he can score goals. It’s about giving him the platform to show that consistently.”

— Mikel Arteta, Arsenal manager, on Pépé’s potential at the club (ESPN)

“I feel good, I’m happy to be here. Villarreal is a club that plays good football, and I want to enjoy my football again and help the team achieve its objectives.”

— Nicolas Pépé, on his move to Villarreal (football.london)

“He was a key part of our project. His performances at Lille showed a player capable of deciding matches at the highest level.”

— Lille OSC club statement, on Pépé’s development prior to his Arsenal move (Wikipedia)

Bottom line: Nicolas Pépé is a gifted winger whose career was reshaped — and arguably burdened — by a record transfer fee that created expectations no single player could easily meet. For fans researching his personal life, the signal is weak: wife, religion, and net worth remain largely unverified. For clubs evaluating future transfers, the lesson is clear: the gap between a player’s market value and his actual contribution can be enormous, and the market corrects ruthlessly when it widens.

Pépé’s story isn’t finished. At 29, he has time to rebuild his reputation at Villarreal and remind the football world why Lille once valued him at €80 million. For the Ivorian international, the next two seasons in La Liga will determine whether his career arc bends toward revival or cautionary tale.

For the clubs and scouts watching in the Premier League and beyond, the choice is clear: bet on the talent and hope the context has changed, or let the data — a 91% market-value decline — speak for itself.

The Ivorian winger’s time at the Emirates was marked by high expectations and difficult returns, as detailed in this analysis of Pépés Arsenal struggles.

Frequently asked questions

Is Nicolas Pepe still at Arsenal?

No. Pépé left Arsenal in 2023, first moving to Trabzonspor and then joining Villarreal in 2024 (Transfermarkt).

What is Nicolas Pepe’s current market value?

According to Transfermarkt, his market value is €6.00 million as of 2025.

How many goals has Nicolas Pepe scored for Arsenal?

He scored 27 goals in 112 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal, including 16 in the Premier League (Wikipedia).

What position does Nicolas Pepe play?

He primarily plays as a right winger and can also be deployed as a forward (Transfermarkt).

Where was Nicolas Pepe born?

He was born in Mantes-la-Jolie, France, on 29 May 1995 (Transfermarkt).

Does Nicolas Pepe have children?

There is no confirmed public information about whether Pépé has children. His family life is kept private.

What is Nicolas Pepe’s salary at Villarreal?

Capology estimates his gross weekly wage at €60,000 for the 2024–25 season, though this is not officially confirmed by the club.