Fulham target Ricardo Pepi
ARNHEM, NETHERLANDS. Ricardo Pepi during the match between Vitesse and FC Groningen at GelreDome. Fulham aren’t giving up on target.
PSV Eindhoven striker Ricardo Pepi is ‘severely disappointed’ by Fulham’s decision to pull out of the deal for him.
ESPN Netherlands report the striker could have changed his stance on a move to Fulham following last weeks’ drama.
Fulham’s move for Pepi was ‘all but sealed’ after the Premier League side reached an agreement with PSV for him, worth €40m. The striker even travelled to London for a medical, which he is believed to have passed.
That was the conclusion of weeks of talks after a move in the January transfer window fell through.
Why the deal fell through
Yet the deal fell through at the last minute because the club’s could not agree on the transfer responsibility. That had been a key element of talks. The two clubs had different ideas on when the ‘transfer of responsibility’ would take place.
Fulham wanted it to happen the moment the Premier League transfer window opens. That is during the World Cup, which is too late from PSV’s perspective.
The two clubs made concessions, but they proved insufficient to reaching an agreement. Thus, the transfer collapsed at the last minute. Fulham simply considered the risk too great.
A deal in the future is not off the table. Indeed, PSV technical director Ernest has insisted they will not rule out that happening.
Pepi stance may have changed
Whether Fulham come back in is a big question at the Dutch club. The same applies to Ricardo Pepi’s attitude towards a move.
He has long wanted to go to the Premier League and made that stance clear. The move was seen as a good deal for all parties.
But how will he now feel about Fulham? According to ESPN Netherlands, sources close to the striker say that they ‘severely disappointed him’. In other words, he may no longer be that keen on the London club given what’s gone on.
That is perhaps something else they will need to work on, if Fulham decide to return for Pepi in the coming months. For now, the deal is dead and the striker is severely disappointed.