Lille coach Christophe Galtier admits he's surprised by Nicolas Pepe's decision to join Arsenal.

It's been confirmed by LOSC president Gerard Lopez that Pepe will join the Gunners for €80m.

Galtier said, "I thought of Bayern because I knew there was a place, with both (Franck) Ribery and (Arjen) Robben. I saw him well in this championship, but hey, apparently, he chose Arsenal. What I am very happy about is that we have been able to keep him for both periods of the previous transfer window, both the summer transfer window and the winter mercato.

"It is all in honour of our president when there had been quite strong attacks around Nicolas. He wanted to do a full season, he showed what he was able to do at home, in Ligue 1. There, he will surely be in the championship that is the most difficult, the most intense, the most rhythmic. He will not have the happiness of discovering the happiness of the Champions League."