This winter, there are a number of clubs interested in signing Eindhoven’s Ricardo Pepi. PSV is said to have already rejected an initial high offer from England. FC Augsburg is probably already rubbing its hands together in the background.
Ricardo Pepi had definitely imagined his first stop in Europe to be different. The American made a big splash when he transferred from FC Dallas to the Bundesliga in January 2022. However, Pepi failed to make his big breakthrough at FC Augsburg, which had paid a new record transfer fee of €16 million for him.
Pepi failed to score in 16 competitive games, which is why he asked to be loaned to FC Groningen in the Eredivisie. It turned out to be a good decision: Pepi stepped into the spotlight, scoring twelve of the Dutch bottom club’s 31 goals. In the summer of 2023, PSV Eindhoven finally made their move and transferred €11 million to FCA. However, the Fuggerstadt club’s management remained convinced of Pepi’s potential and secured a 20 percent resale share in the contract. That’s why FCA is keeping a close eye on the situation this winter: Pepi is being pursued by several clubs.
According to The Athletic, Eindhoven even rejected an offer of around €30 million from Fulham FC this winter. However, the Premier League club is said to be preparing a second offer in order to secure the services of the 34-time US international (13 goals).
Pepi’s high transfer fee is also justified by the long contract term. Last February, the former Augsburg player extended his contract early until June 30, 2030.
Continuous improvement
In his debut season at PSV, Pepi was directly involved in nine goals (seven goals, two assists) in 27 league games. In 2024/25, he scored eleven goals and provided two assists in just 18 appearances. In the current season, Pepi has already scored seven goals and provided one assist in 14 games.
Pepi will choose his future employer carefully, especially after his experience in Augsburg: the World Cup is coming up next summer. Pepi played a total of 15 minutes in the November internationals, with his last start coming on November 19, 2024.
