Lille sensation Nicolas Pépé set to leave - coach confirms
Lille have secured a place in next season's Champions League thanks to a second-place Ligue 1 finish, but are set to sell a prized asset.
Nicolas Pépé will leave Lille for a "great European team" in the next transfer window, the Ligue 1 side's coach Christophe Galtier has confirmed. Pépé has been in outstanding form for Lille this season, scoring 22 league goals from 37 appearances as Galtier's side secured a second-place finish. His performances have reportedly drawn interest from a number of high-profile suitors, and Galtier conceded Lille have little choice but to cash in on the 23-year-old.
Lille coach sad to see top scorer move on
"Nicolas Pépé will leave. Life's like that, football's like that today," Galtier told Canal+. "He is a player of the highest level who will have a big decision to make on the choice of his next club. There will be a battle between the great European teams. I hope that he will take good amount of time to think about it, do his research."
Pépé scored twice in Lille's 5-0 win over his former club Angers on Saturday.
🎶 THE CHAAAAAAAMPPPPIIIIOOOOOOOONNNNNNSSSS! 🌟@ChampionsLeague #UCL pic.twitter.com/aT28Y3S0bl
— LOSC (@LOSC_EN) May 18, 2019
PSG, Liverpool and United line up for Pépé's signature
Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United have been credited with an interest, though Paris Saint-Germain are also reportedly eager to sign the Ivory Coast international.