Nicolas Pepe demanded to play for Arsenal against Wolves just hours after wife Fanny gave birth
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NICOLAS PEPE scored his first Premier League goal of the season just hours after his wife Fanny gave birth to a baby boy.
Despite the occasion, Arsenal's struggling £72million star informed boss Mikel Arteta that he was ready to play the crucial clash against Wolves in a middle of the night text to the Spaniard.
The 26-year-old winger came on a substitute with the Gunners 1-0 down and 20 minutes left to play.
But he broke his Premier League duck for the campaign in the 82nd minute to help inspire a dramatic turnaround, culminating in Alexandre Lacazette's 96th-minute winner.
And Arteta was full of praise for the out of favour Pepe after the game, revealing he was willing to leave Fanny's side in order to 'help the team'.
The Spaniard gushed: "Pepe, he had a baby last night.
"He texted me at 2-3am and said 'I want to come and help the team'.
"So these things happen and it's no coincidence. It's because the togetherness and the unity is there."
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Pepe gave a nod to his newborn after scoring, dedicating the goal to his and Fanny's latest child.
He wrote on : "In honour of my son. Welcome E."
The 27-year-old full Fanny is mother to two sons with Pepe.
They keep their private life fairly under wraps, but it's claimed the couple have been together since 2017 and tied the knot in a private ceremony.
She gave birth to their first child back in 2020, and regularly showed off her latest baby bump to her 10k followers in the run up to giving birth.
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