Fulham agree £31million deal two months after January transfer collapsed

Fulham have agreed a deal in principle to sign striker Ricardo Pepi from PSV Eindhoven, talkSPORT understands.

The Cottagers, who saw their move for Pepi collapse in January, look set to finally get a move worth £31million over the line.

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The 23-year-old USA international has scored 10 goals in 19 Eredivisie appearances for PSV this season so far.

He has also netted three times in five Champions League games for the Dutch side, providing two assists in all competitions.

Pepi’s impressive form this term followed another strong campaign for the forward, as he scored 18 times in 29 games last year.

And he is someone that Fulham have been chasing, with their bid to bring him to Craven Cottage falling short in January.

Marco Silva hoped to bring in another striker for his squad and made a £28m offer for the American.

However, that was short of PSV’s £30m price tag at the time, while they also wanted to sign a replacement first.

PSV were unable to find a replacement in time on Deadline Day and Fulham had to watch the potential transfer fall through.

But just under two months after the window closed, the Cottagers have reignited talks and now agreed a deal worth £31m.

Raul Jimenez‘s contract at the club is set to come to an end this summer, meaning a new striker will be needed.

Especially as back-up frontman Rodrigo Muniz has fallen out of favour this season after suffering multiple injury issues.

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Pepi’s career so far

Pepi has played for PSV for the last three years after originally starting his career at home in America.

The Texas-born star came through the FC Dallas youth set-up before breaking into their first team in 2019.

He would go on to score 16 times in 59 appearances for the MLS side, joining North Texas SC on loan during his two-year spell.

Pepi then made the move to Europe to sign for German outfit FC Augsburg, but he failed to score in any of his 16 games.

It led to a loan move to the Netherlands with FC Groningen and that is where he excelled, netting 16 goals for the club.

And a permanent move to PSV followed in 2023, with him now having a starring role up front, boasting an impressive tally of 39 goals and eight assists in 95 games in all competitions to date.

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World Cup-bound

Pepi will be hoping to be playing for the USA at their home World Cup this summer under manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Pochettino picked his squad for the nation’s final friendlies before the tournament on Tuesday and included the striker.

He has been selected in a group of forwards that also includes Leeds’ Brenden Aaronson, ex-Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, former Arsenal man Folarin Balogun, Timothy Weah and Patrick Agyemang.

Pepi is also going to line up alongside Fulham’s Antonee Robinson, who looks set to be his teammate next season.

The USA are going to be playing Belgium and Portugal this month.

They will take on the Belgians on March 28 and then come up against Cristiano Ronaldo and co. on March 31.