According to TEAMtalk, Fulham have not given up on the signing of Ricardo Pepi as they continue to hold discussions with PSV Eindhoven. The Cottagers came agonisingly close to signing the USMNT star in the winter window, but the move broke down; there’s hope for a summer arrival.
Ricardo Pepi was one of the major targets for Fulham during the January window, as the club looked to sign attackers to improve their squad. There are various reasons for targeting the PSV Eindhoven star, with the Cottagers showing eagerness to upgrade certain attacking positions, while they also let go of Adama Traore.
They do need to bring in a prolific striker with Raul Jimenez entering the latter stages of his career, while Rodrigo Muniz’s lack of fitness is another issue. Pepi brings in the energy and youth into this setup, as Fulham were very close to signing him in January.
The move broke down at the death as PSV could not sort out a replacement for the USMNT star, who has scored or assisted 13 times this season. Pepi was keen on joining the Londoners in January and emulating some of his former National team players like Clint Dempsey, Brian McBride and Tim Ream as an example.
Fulham have revived talks with PSV and are already discussing a summer deal for the attacker. The report states, the Cottagers are negotiating the fee, as they are now willing to pay around £30 million compared to the £32.2 million they had agreed in January.
Pepi’s arrival was earmarked as the type of signing that would let the club convince Marco Silva to stay put as he enters a crucial period with regard to his contractual situation. The Cottagers are making ambitious plans for the summer window, as a host of signings are planned to help them keep hold of the Portuguese boss.
The uncertain future of Silva has also affected the club’s chances of keeping hold of star man Harry Wilson, with the winger waiting to find out what transpires with the manager’s situation. For now, signings like Pepi would be the step in the right direction, as they will hope signings of the quality of the USMNT star will galvanise the team and help keep the manager.
