Fulham close in on PSV striker Ricardo Pepi for £28.5m
What's the story
English Premier League club Fulham are closing in on a £28.5 million deal for PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi. The 23-year-old American international has arrived in London to undergo a medical examination ahead of the transfer, as per BBC Sport. This comes after a similar bid was rejected by the Dutch club in January due to their inability to find an adequate replacement at that time.
Contract details
Pepi's World Cup duty could delay Fulham move
If the transfer goes through, Pepi is expected to sign a contract until 2031 at Fulham's Craven Cottage. The move will be finalized after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he is likely to represent the USA as one of its co-hosts along with Canada and Mexico. This would give PSV enough time during the extended summer transfer window to find a suitable replacement for Pepi before next season starts.
Career progression
Pepi's career stats
Pepi began his career for North Texas SC in the USL League One. He scored 11 goals in 14 appearances. He represented Major League Soccer club FC Dallas next, scoring 16 goals in 57 matches. He moved to German club Augsburg, but didn't score in his 16 appearances. He was loaned to FC Groningen in the Netherlands during the 2022-23 season, scoring 13 goals in 31 matches. He made a permanent move to PSV next and has 39 goals in 95 appearances. This season, Pepi has scored 13 goals in 27 appearances for PSV, including 10 in Eredivisie.
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13 goals for the USA
Pepi has scored a total of 13 international goals for the USA from a total of 34 appearances. He made his debut in 2021 and scored three goals in 7 matches that year. 2023 was his best calendar year. He bagged 7 goals in 10 games.