Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe has "reached an agreement" with Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas over terms, but there is no deal between the clubs as of yet.
Who is leaving Arsenal?
Mikel Arteta's side have completed a plethora of marquee deals, taking their summer spend over £200 million, so fringe members of the squad will inevitably have to make way.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Auston Trusty, Pablo Mari, Matt Turner and long-serving midfielder Granit Xhaka have all officially departed the Emirates Stadium, but reports suggest there will be more.
Folarin Balogun, fresh off his exceptional 2022/2023 loan spell at Reims, is attracting interest from AS Monaco and last season's Champions League finalists, Inter Milan.
He could cost suitors around £50 million to prise away from Arsenal, though, as his stock has risen exponentially after a free-scoring Ligue 1 campaign.
Pepe, who once cost Arsenal a club-record fee from Lille in 2019, has struggled to assert himself in recent seasons despite some praise from Arteta.
The Ivory Coast international spent last campaign on a temporary spell at Nice, where he contributed effectively when called upon, but that appears to have not been enough from an Arsenal perspective.
The north Londoners could opt to sell before deadline day on September 1, with Besiktas among the sides to be repeatedly linked to signing Pepe.
Now, according to Turkish website Fanatik, as also translated by Sport Witness, the player has "reached an agreement" with Besiktas to join them.
Indeed, it is believed the 28-year-old has shaken hands over terms and wages, with Besiktas now waiting on what happens between them and Arsenal.
Should Pepe complete a move to Turkey, he will sign a three-year deal and earn €2.5 million-per-year plus bonuses. The forward's representative, according to this report, has made Besiktas a promise that his client will be available for free once Arsenal terminate his contract.
The Turkish side, for their part, expect the agent to stay true to his word - but they aren't the only side sniffing around for Pepe. League rivals Fenerbache, who also sense an opportunity here, are lurking in the background and have even contacted Pepe in an effort to sway him.
How good is Nicolas Pepe?
Despite not quite fulfilling his potential at Arsenal, the former Lille star has showcased some of his true ability over these past 12 months, specifically at Nice.
According to WhoScored, over Pepe's 19 Ligue 1 appearances last term, the Ivorian bagged six goals and ranked among their top two for attempts at goal and key passes made per 90 on average.
The winger also averaged more successful take-ons per match than any other Nice player in the French top flight, showcasing his talent (WhoScored).
Arteta, commenting on Pepe last year, has even called the player "phenomenal", saying:
"He has tried everything, his attitude and the way he is, is just phenomenal. You just have to meet the person because you just love him for the way he is.
"But then in terms of the decision you have to make on the pitch, who do you select, we made other decisions and obviously that has had an impact on the chances he had to prove his quality.
"It's been three years and he had some very good moments."