Fulham Ricardo Pepi transfer off for now after second bid rejected by PSV

8 goals in 15 games 

U.S. men’s national team striker Ricardo Pepi is set to remain at Dutch giants PSV this winter despite significant interest from Fulham, with the Cottagers expected to resume their interest in Pepi in the summer window. It was reported a few days back that Fulham had been in pole position to sign Pepi. The Premier League side had submitted a second bid of €32m for the 23-year-old earlier in January, but there was a gap in valuation between the two clubs. The USA international has been in fine form for the Eredivisie leaders, scoring eight times in 15 appearances, and has attracted interest from clubs in England, Germany and Italy. A recent broken arm injury also complicated the deal.

PSV are looking to extract the maximum value for a player who cost €11m to sign from Augsburg in 2023 and is under contract until June 2030, having penned an extension in February last year. Pepi arrived in Europe from FC Dallas in January 2022 but struggled in his first season and failed to score a single goal for the Bundesliga outfit. However, he has found his feet in the Netherlands via a loan spell with Groningen and fought his way into the men’s national team picture under head coach Mauricio Pochettino.

Fulham boss Marco Silva has been searching for a long-term replacement for Raúl Jiménez, who turns 35 in May and is out of contract in the summer. The west London outfit do have Rodrigo Muniz, who fired nine goals last season, but the Brazilian has been sidelined through injury after undergoing surgery on his hamstring in November. Muniz had been linked with Atalanta before deciding to remain in London and his future at Craven Cottage is uncertain. Pepi was one of several American players linked with a move to the Premier League in January, with Juventus star Weston McKennie also on the radar of several clubs and Norwich City’s out-of-favour frontman Josh Sargent looking to seal a move away from Carrow Road.