Ricardo Pepi breaks silence on collapsed Fulham transfer

12 Sept 2026 18:02 BST |
5 min read

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PSV striker Ricardo Pepi has confirmed that the collapse of his proposed transfer to Fulham came as a shock to him.

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Heading into 2026, the American forward was a key target for the Cottagers. Although they ultimately failed to strike a deal with PSV in the January transfer window, they looked set to reach a pre-agreement for the summer.

In mid-March, reports emerged that Fulham had convinced PSV to sell Pepi for a fee in the region of €40 million, potentially making him the West London club’s joint-record signing.

Most of the terms of the deal were sorted when the 23-year-old was given permission to briefly head to England and tour Fulham’s facilities. However, by the time Pepi got back, the deal was off.

PSV had reportedly demanded that Fulham be financially responsible for the striker from the moment of the agreement in March rather than the start of the summer transfer window. This was deemed a ridiculous request, and the Premier League side backed out of the deal.

Pepi confirms Fulham disappointment

Due to the massive changes at Craven Cottage this summer, with Alvaro Arbeloa replacing Marco Silva, Fulham refrained from revisiting the signing of Pepi. Instead, they ended up bringing in Gonzalo Garcia, who had worked with the Spanish coach at Real Madrid.

This left the American with a choice to make: consider a transfer to a different team or stay at PSV. Coming off a disappointing World Cup, he ultimately chose the latter option with the goal of nailing down a guaranteed starting place and honing his craft before taking the next step.

© IMAGO – USMNT stars Sergino Dest and Ricardo Pepi

Considering that he is still only 23, this certainly wasn’t the worst choice to make. Indeed, it already seems to be paying off. The striker has started every game in this nascent season except the Johan Cruijff Schaal loss to AZ at the beginning of August.

Pepi has now revealed that he made sure to use the disappointment of his failed Fulham move as motivation for this new season. “That was not an easy period,” he told NOS.

“Not only for me, but also for my family. They have been there for me my whole life, and everyone was disappointed. However, everything happens for a reason. Ultimately, I used that as fuel to come out of it even stronger.”

He insists that the decision to stay at PSV wasn’t a difficult one to make. From the outset, he was very clear with his agent that he did not want to leave. “I’m having a great time here,” Pepi explained.

“But I have a different role now and try to be an experienced player the young lads can look up to. I came in here as a rookie in a completely different team than the one we have now.”

One of the criticisms Pepi has faced throughout his still-young career is that he is a fairly limited striker. While he is an exceptional penalty-box poacher, he supposedly doesn’t offer much else, particularly when it comes to defending from the front.

This season, Pepi is determined to develop that part of the game and change the perception of him: “Now I play a little deeper up front and perhaps score less, but let people talk. Because believe me, winning never gets old.”

After the heartbreak of missing out on the final roster for the 2022 World Cup, making the cut for this year’s edition was “special” for Pepi. “It was a dream come true,” the striker said.

“Representing your country at the very highest level, and doing so in your own country as well. As a child, you dream of that: shining for your own people, for your own fans. It was very special.”

Nevertheless, the fact that he was only Folarin Balogun’s backup and did not manage to score in any of his five appearances still gnaws at him. He emphasises that only “being part of the team is never enough for me.”

Having scored three goals in six games this season, the 23-year-old is ready to take his game to the next level. Perhaps Pepi will get his big Premier League move next year.