Change to PSV PSV reform: FCA ends with Pepi dismissal

Scored seven times for the US national team but never for FCA: Riccardo Pepe.
IMAGO/Agencia-MexSport

FC Augsburg is a “fantastic club” for which they want to “score a lot of goals”: Ricardo Pepe moved from FC Dallas to the Bundesliga in January 2022 with big plans and a lot of fanfare. After a year and a half, the chapter ends differently than planned.

On Friday, Dutch Cup winner and Dutch League runners-up PSV Eindhoven announced the signing of the 20-year-old striker, for whom Fiat Chrysler paid a record 16 million euros. Now the residents of Fugerstadt still receive 11 million euros in compensation. They also received a 20 percent resale stake. So it would be appropriate for those in charge of the FCA if one day PSV sell Pepi for a lot of money, which they already planned for in the medium term when they brought him in in 2022.

Pepe scored twelve of Groningen’s 31 goals

“The move to PSV is a good solution for all parties,” says sporting director Stefan Reuter. “After Ricciardo told us he wanted to join PSV and the economic conditions were right for us, we agreed to move.”

“Young players like that need some time to acclimate,” coach Enrico Maaßen said just Thursday of his few months with Pepi. “It was a new continent for him, it was a completely different number than when you came from Belgium or neighboring countries.” There was real pressure on the boiler because of the charges, too.”

After Pepi remained goalless in 16 official matches in an Augsburg shirt, the American international showed his qualities on loan to FC Groningen last season: 12 of the 31 goals scored by the bottom-placed Eredivisie in the Eredivisie were his. Pepe also scored seven goals in 16 international matches for the United States, the last of which came on June 16 in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-final against Mexico, when he made it 3-0 immediately after coming on.

Under Bosz Pepi calls for the Champions League title

Pepe made it clear early on that he did not want to return to the Bundesliga after his year on loan at Groningen. Now he wants to take the next step at PSV, where he has signed until 2028 and meets new coach Peter Boss. “I’m a hard-working player who doesn’t mind doing dirty work,” Pepe said of his new club. A sure motivator: If PSV survives qualification, a debut in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League will tempt them.

“He showed his abilities in Groningen in a not very good team and scored a lot of goals,” Maassen said. Pepe “is strong at finishing the ball with the left, right and header, a good pressing striker, and has good depth in his game. He has developed fantastically, which is why there is now the option of switching to such a club.”