As reported by Bild, Ricardo Pepi is close to ending his Augsburg nightmare with PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord fighting for his signature.
The American international made the surprise move to Augsburg in January 2022 for a club-record fee of around €16 million. However, in sixteen appearances for the Fuggerstädter, Pepi failed to score and his signing ultimately seemed like a failure.
Nevertheless, ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, he would be loaned out to Dutch side FC Groningen where he would turn his form around. In 31 appearances, the 20-year-old scored 13 goals and collected 3 assists despite Groningen finishing bottom of the Eredivisie.
Dutch champions Feyenoord and runners-up PSV are the sides battling it out in a bidding war for the American striker, who are willing to pay between €10-€11m for his signature. It would undoubtedly be a step up for Pepi in his career with European football confirmed for next season, while he would be able to put his Augsburg nightmare behind him.
However, this would still be a financial loss for Augsburg with Pepi still under contract until 2026, the fee could still increase making the overall loss far less damaging. FCA have secured a 20% resale clause in the contract meaning that any future sale of the striker could be lucrative for the German side.
GGFN | Will Shopland
