Arsenal could still make their move for Cody Gakpo before the summer transfer window closes on September 1st...

What's the word?

That's according to transfer insider and journalist Dean Jones, who delivered an update on the Gunners' hunt for a new winger to GIVEMESPORT earlier this week.

"[Moussa] Diaby is going to be a hard one. [Bayer] Leverkusen basically just don’t want to lose him at this point, they feel like they’re going to have a good season, so I don’t think that doors going to open," he revealed.

"Cody Gakpo is still one to look out for if they look abroad for the signing."

The north London giants have been mooted with interest in the PSV Eindhoven star for much of the summer by the Dutch press and it's believed that the 23-year-old would cost north of €40m (£34m).

Bye-bye Pepe

The Netherlands international would be a fine addition to Mikel Arteta's ranks, largely because he is capable of playing multiple different roles in the attack.

Primarily a left-winger, where he has already provided three goals and two assists already this campaign, Gakpo was also tasked with leading the line on a couple of occasions in 2021/22. Overall, he delivered a whopping 21 goals and 15 assists, even taking the armband in some matches, as per Transfermarkt.

Gakpo has even revealed his admiration for the Gunners as a club, having looked up to legendary striker Thierry Henry as a kid. He too started out life as a winger before transitioning into one of the Premier League's deadliest marksmen under Arsene Wenger.

"Everybody wants to play one time in the Prem. I don’t favour one team but I like Arsenal a lot," he once told The Sun. "I looked up to Henry when I was younger because he was a tall guy who played on the wing."

Meanwhile, the Dutchman's fine form over the past 12 months has seen plenty of praise land his way - talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him "phenomenal" and "special," whilst Telegraaf reporter Wierd Duk dubbed him an "enormous talent" on Twitter.

Arsenal's interest in a new attacker, such as Gakpo or Diaby, surely spells trouble for club-record signing Nicolas Pepe, who has been something of a flop since Unai Emery signed him for an eye-watering £72m from Lille back in 2019. Such has been his rapid decline that he's even been linked with the exit door.

"Nicolas is a highly-rated and talented winger who was wanted by many of the top teams in Europe," the ex-Gunners boss told reporters at the time. "Signing a top-class winger has been one of our key objectives in this transfer window and I'm delighted he's joining. He will add pace, power and creativity, with the aim of bringing more goals to our team."

But we've seen anything but that from the Ivory Coast international. It's been only the 27 goals and 21 assists across 112 appearances (one G/A every 137 minutes) and he was limited to only five Premier League starts last season.

One particularly drab display against Newcastle saw GOAL journalist Charles Watts lambast the 27-year-old: "Nicolas Pepe’s performance, his cameo when he came on last night, was an utter disaster.

"It could well be his final game in an Arsenal shirt at the weekend."

Well, a move for Gakpo would all but confirm this fate for the shocking Emery flop. The Dutchman, on the above evidence, would be a considerable upgrade, given just how prolific and creative he has been for PSV in the past year.

For £34m, it would be worth every penny, so technical director Edu Gaspar must now seal his signature before deadline day on September 1st.

AND in other news, Arteta could unearth Arsenal's next Martinelli in "versatile" teen with a "big future"...