Фулхэм рүү хийхээр төлөвлөсөн наймаа бүтэлгүйтсэний улмаас Америкийн довтлогч ПСВ-ийн бүрэлдэхүүнд үлдлээ.
ПСВ-ийн довтлогч Рикардо Пепи энэ зун Фулхэм рүү шилжих боломжтой байсан ч наймаа эцсийн мөчид бүтэлгүйтсэний улмаас клубтээ үлдэв. Өдгөө 23 настай тоглогчийн хувьд нэгдүгээр сарын цонхоор болон энэ зуны солилцоогоор Фулхэмтэй тохиролцоонд хүрсэн ч ПСВ-ийн зүгээс орлох тоглогч олоогүй болон гэмтлийн эрсдэлтэй холбоотой нөхцөлүүдийн улмаас шилжилт нь цуцлагдсан байна. ПСВ-ийн дасгалжуулагч Петер Бош түүнийг багтаа үлдэж байгаад сэтгэл хангалуун байгаагаа илэрхийлж, түүнийг жинхэнэ гоол оруулагч хэмээн онцоллоо.
ПСВ энэ амралтын өдөр Фортуна Ситтард-ыг хүлээн авч Эредивизийн лигийн шинэ улирлаа эхлүүлэх гэж байна. Тус баг өнгөрсөн долоо хоногт АЗ Алкмаар-т 4-0-ийн харьцаатай хожигдож, Йохан Кройфф Шилд тэмцээнийг өндөрлүүлсэн бөгөөд энэ тоглолтод Пепи оролцоогүй юм. Пепигийн хувьд 2030 он хүртэл ПСВ-тэй гэрээтэй бөгөөд өнгөрсөн хоёр улирлын турш 2,105 минутад 27 гоол оруулсан үзүүлэлттэй байна.
Тэрээр энэ зуны Дэлхийн аваргад АНУ-ын шигшээ багийн бүрэлдэхүүнд багтсан ч гарааны болон сэлгээний тоглолтуудад оролцох хугацаа нь хязгаарлагдмал байв. Хэдийгээр Фулхэм түүнийг авахаас татгалзаж, оронд нь Реал Мадрид-аас Гонзало Гарсиаг 34 сая фунт стерлингээр элсүүлсэн ч ПСВ-ийн зүгээс Пепиг багтаа авч үлдэхийг эрмэлзэж байсан юм. Пепи Аваргуудын лигт 20 удаа тоглохдоо 6 гоол оруулж, оновчтой дамжуулалт өгсөн туршлагатай бөгөөд удахгүй эхлэх Аваргуудын лигийн тоглолтуудад багтаа чухал хувь нэмэр оруулах төлөвтэй байна.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
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As PSV prepares to kick off its latest Eredivisie title defense this weekend, U.S. international forward Ricardo Pepi surprisingly remains with the club.
Pepi was twice on the verge of a transfer to Fulham — first in January then this summer on a pre-agreed deal that fell through at the final stage — but is still at the club as this summer has been quiet around him.
“I was a bit surprised that his transfer during the last season to Fulham wasn’t working out,” PSV coach Peter Bosz told The Athletic. “So obviously I’m happy to have a real goalscorer in my team, because that’s what he is.”
PSV hosts Fortuna Sittard on Saturday to open the domestic league season following a 4-0 defeat last weekend to AZ Alkmaar in the Johan Cruyff Shield, in which Pepi did not feature.
For Pepi, who is signed at PSV through 2030, transfer interest has not increased. Since missing out on him, Fulham has since signed Gonzalo Garcia from Real Madrid for £34 million ($45 million) this summer while other suitors haven’t yet presented themselves to PSV. The club never sought to lose him, but Fulham pushed hard and ultimately had a deal agreed in principle twice.
The first fell through on deadline day in January as PSV made the deal contingent on signing a replacement, which it was unable to do. The second, pre-agreed for the summer, fell through on contingencies if Pepi were to get injured before the deal was processed.
Pepi, 23, has 27 goals in 2,105 minutes over the last two seasons for PSV. Last season he was set to be the team’s first-choice striker following the departure of Luuk de Jong but missed time due to a fractured arm.
“I hope he will stay fit, and I’m sure he will stay fit, because normally he’s never injured,” Bosz said. “But if he stays fit in Holland, I’m really curious how many goals he will score because he is a real goal scorer.”
Pepi represented the United States at the World Cup this summer, though his playing time was limited with Folarin Balogun earning the lion’s share of minutes at striker. Pepi started the group games against Australia and Turkey but played just 20 minutes total in the knockout stage and did not score.
“Because Balogun was playing, and also after the red card he was playing, so Pepi didn’t (have a lot of) minutes, so the people couldn’t see him,” Bosz said. “But for us, it was good.”
Pepi broke through with FC Dallas in MLS before moving to Europe, first with Augsburg (and a subsequent and productive loan to Groningen) before eventually thriving at PSV.
If there’s a silver lining to staying put, aside from familiarity with a league where he’s had success, it’s that Pepi is on course to take part in the Champions League again. By virtue of winning the Eredivisie, PSV goes straight into League Phase in a competition where Pepi has traditionally performed well, both as a starter and a reserve.
Pepi is the USMNT’s third all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, with six goals in 20 appearances, trailing just Christian Pulisic (12) and Weston McKennie (11). Three of his goals came last season, against Atlético Madrid, Olympiacos and Napoli. He also added assists against Napoli and Liverpool.
