Nicolas Pepe will leave Lille at the end of the season, according to the club’s president, Christophe Galtier.
The highly-rated Ivory Coast international is being linked with a move to a number of Europe’s top clubs this summer.
A hugely productive 2018/19 campaign has seen Pepe score 21 goals in 36 appearances from out wide, standing out as one of Ligue 1’s star men.
Chelsea are one of those believed to be interested in the 23-year-old, as they look for replacements for likely outgoing hero Eden Hazard.
Fellow Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal are also thought to be in the mix, as well as Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
Speaking about Pepe’s future, Galtier admitted it lies away from Lille, telling Canal Plus that his next destination is up to the player himself:
Nicolas Pepe will leave. Life’s like that, football’s like that today. 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.
Like he did when he came here and when he decided to stay here [last summer], find the right project.
If Chelsea do manage to get their man it would be a great accomplishment, but they have a serious fight on their hands.
