U.S. men’s national team forward Ricardo Pepi will remain with PSV for the remainder of the season, as a transfer opportunity to Fulham fell through after both teams had reportedly agreed on a fee of $44 million before the Monday deadline. Fulham had been prepared to pay this amount, whereupon Pepi had accepted personal terms with the club. The unsuccessful transfer was contingent on PSV securing a suitable replacement for Pepi, a critical factor that they could not fulfill before the window closed.

In the aftermath of losing forward Rodrigo Muniz to injury, a move of Pepi to Fulham could have significantly enhanced their attacking options. Moreover, the acquisition of Pepi might have provided them with a prominent attacking alternative in case forward Raul Jimenez departs on a free transfer in the coming summer.

Meanwhile, Pepi is now concentrating on his recovery after sustaining an arm injury that he acquired during a match in January. The injury is expected to sideline him for about two months, which may cause him to miss the final international window for the USMNT in March, a critical period leading up to the 2026 World Cup selection by Coach Pochettino.

In a recent press conference, coach Mauricio Pochettino emphasized the importance of Pepi’s ability to recover and prove himself fit in time for the World Cup, stating, ‘We’ll see how he’s going to come back and start to play and to perform.’

The landscape of USMNT’s roster is evolving ahead of the World Cup, with players like Alex Freeman, who recently moved from Orlando City to Villarreal, also navigating club transfers during this crucial period.