Why it’s good Pepi’s USMNT chances that move to Fulham failed

For soccer players around the world, playing in the Premier League can be a crowning achievement of their careers while also offering lucrative financial rewards. That allure can cause players to leave good situations in other European leagues for a chance to compete in England, which may not manifest in reality. A move was close for PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi to join Fulham, but it fell through on deadline day due to PSV not being able to secure a replacement striker for the American.

On one hand, Pepi won’t be able to join Antonee Robinson at a club that has a rich history of American players becoming stars, but, on the flip side, Pepi’s last move to a big five league should act as a word of caution. After leaving FC Dallas, Pepi went to Augsburg in the Bundesliga, featuring in only 16 matches across two seasons before moving to FC Groningen in the Netherlands, where he was able to rebuild his career, showing that he was still a top striker, and earning a move to his current club.

But the damage was already done during that time in the Bundesliga. Pepi fell down the pecking order for the United States men’s national team, eventually missing the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Pepi then made a move to PSV, where he has been able to get back on the right track, but despite having impressive production when he’s on the pitch, he has yet to complete a full season’s workload since coming to the club.

Ricardo Pepi European minutes per season

Knee injuries and a broken arm have stopped Pepi from making more appearances over the past few seasons, but PSV have also had numerous options all over the pitch, leading to rotation all over. For example, in three seasons, Pepi has made 22 appearances in the Champions League, scoring nine goals and assisting three more. Only three of those 22 appearances were starts. Not only is it a different pace coming off the bench, but when also taking into account the physicality of the Premier League, a midseason move to England would be quite a shift for Pepi.

With another World Cup on the horizon in 2026, any drops in playing time could lead to a deja vu scenario for Pepi. Even with the injury, he’s on track for the most minutes played for any club since the 2022-23 season, and PSV have shown trust in him by presenting him with the number nine shirt. Another move before the World Cup could have seen Pepi lose out on playing time and an opportunity to make it, but that’s especially the case right now when Pepi hasn’t scored for the USMNT since the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals in November of 2024.

He didn’t get his first cap under Mauricio Pochettino until facing Paraguay in November of 2025, so while Pepi is expected to be in the World Cup squad, it’s not something that can be taken for granted at this time. Only being 23, another European move gone wrong wouldn’t be enough to be a full setback in his young career, but it wouldn’t be optimal when so much is at stake.

The grass isn’t always greener when it comes to transfers, and it can’t be taken for granted how important carving out a role with a club can be. There’s still much more for Pepi to prove as a player with the Dutch side, and with the transfer window closing while he’s still there, he’ll have a chance to do it. With a strong end to the season and good performances at the World Cup, there’s every chance that a move to a club like Fulham could still be there during the summer.  Striker Raul Jimenez isn’t getting any younger, and moving then would give Pepi the best chance of settling in with time on his side.