Nicolas Pepe is suffering from tendonitis in his knee, missing another game for OGC Nice with no clarity on the length of his absence yet.

Nice's Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe (R) scores his team's second goal during the French L1 football match between OGC Nice and ES Troyes AC (ESTAC) at the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, south-eastern France, on October 9, 2022. (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)
Nice’s Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe (R) scores his team’s second goal during the French L1 football match between OGC Nice and ES Troyes AC (ESTAC) at the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, south-eastern France, on October 9, 2022. (Photo by VALERY HACHE/AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe has missed the last three games for loan club OGC Nice with a knee issue, with the club reporting in late January that they were assessing the extent of the issue.

Interim manager Didier Digard has now confirmed that Pepe is suffering from tendonitis in his knee, adding last week: “We will put a protocol in place.

“It is mainly his reaction to the treatment that will determine the length of his absence.”

Pepe subsequently missed games against RC Lens on Wednesday and Marseille on Sunday.

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At this stage, we still don’t know how long Pepe might be out, and we’ll have to wait and see what the winger’s reaction to his initial treatment is.

Pepe remains Nice’s top scorer in all competitions, with eight goals so far this campaign, even after winning a penalty for his main goalscoring rival Andy Delort to convert.

Nice's French midfielder Sofiane Diop (L) and Nice's Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe (R) celebrate scoring the 0:1 goal during the European Conference League 1st Round Group D football match 1. FC Slovacko vs OGG Nice in Uherske Hradiste, Czech Republic, on October 6, 2022. (Photo by RADEK MICA/AFP via Getty Images)
Nice’s French midfielder Sofiane Diop (L) and Nice’s Ivorian forward Nicolas Pepe (R) celebrate scoring the 0:1 goal during the European Conference League 1st Round Group D football match 1. FC Slovacko vs OGG Nice in Uherske Hradiste, Czech Republic, on October 6, 2022. (Photo by RADEK MICA/AFP via Getty Images)

Nice have had a mixed season so far this campaign, but it’s still not completely out of the question that they could make a late run for some kind of European football.

The side currently sit eighth and just six points off the Europa Conference League places.

A fit and firing Nicolas Pepe would also be vital for any hopes that Nice continue to climb the Ligue 1 standings.

As well as playing in Ligue 1, Nice are also progressing in the Europa Conference League this season. After topping their group, they’ll skip straight to the Round of 16 in March.

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