Lille coach Christophe Galtier has admitted that he expected Arsenal new boy Nicolas Pepe to join Bayern Munich this summer.
Arsenal beat off competition from several clubs to secure a deal to sign the attacker from Lille this summer for a club-record fee of €80m.
Many were left shocked to see Pepe join the Gunners during the ongoing transfer window as several Champions League mainstays were also interested in signing him.
Bayern Munich were also interested, but they pulled out of the negotiations after coming close to reaching an agreement with Lille.
Galtier admits that expected Pepe to join the German champions as a replacement for either Arjen Robben or Franck Ribery, who both left the club this summer.
He believes by choosing to join Arsenal he has taken up the challenge of playing in the most difficult league in the world.
“I was thinking of Bayern Munich because I knew Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben were going to stop”, Galtier told French broadcaster Canal+.
“I saw him doing well in the Bundesliga, but he chose Arsenal.
“He has gone to a league, which is surely the most challenging, the most intense and more rhythmic.
“He won’t discover the Champions League next season, but we are going to follow him.”
Pepe is expected to make his debut for Arsenal a week from Sunday when the Gunners open their Premier League campaign against Newcastle United at St. James’ Park.
