Arsenal's new record signing Nicolas Pepe received advice from a former Gunners favourite before making a switch to the Emirates Stadium.

Pepe replaced Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Arsenal's most-expensive purchase on Thursday as the club finally announced that they had signed the Ivorian winger from Lille in a deal that will eventually be worth £72million.

Manager Unai Emery triumphantly declared that the Gunners had beaten a host of 'top European teams' to secure the 24-year-old's services, while Pepe said that such a move was 'big reward' for his previous struggles and proclaimed it an 'honour' to be given the chance to play alongside the likes of Alexandre Lacazette.

During his first interview with Arsenal.com, Pepe further opened up on important words said to him by former Arsenal defender Kolo Toure while the pair were together at the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt with the Ivory Coast this summer.

He also pointed to compatriots Toure, Gervinho and Emmanuel Eboue - all of whom represented Arsenal in the past - as examples to follow.

"Kolo Toure was with us on the squad as an assistant coach," he explained.

"He spoke to me a lot about the very high level, how he got to Arsenal and how you always have to work hard and really graft on a daily basis to try and get right to the very top.

"Toure, Eboue and Gervinho are the major players from the Ivory Coast.

"We talk a lot about Gervinho, for example, who played for Lille and ended up at Arsenal, so I am on the same path.

"They are definitely examples to us young Ivorians and I hope we will continue to follow these examples."