Ricardo Pepi’s club season is all but over.
Pepi is expected to miss the remainder of PSV’s season after undergoing knee surgery, PSV announced Friday. The U.S. men’s national team forward suffered a serious injury against Liverpool in UEFA Champions League play last January.
Despite scoring the eventual winning goal in the match, Pepi was substituted off before the final whistle, which marked his last appearance. PSV manager Peter Bosz isn’t expecting to have Pepi back in his squad this season.
“We assume that Ricardo Pepi will be out for the rest of the season,” Bosz said Friday.
The Texas native excelled for PSV this season, tallying 18 goals in 25 combined appearances. He helped PSV to a current first place spot in the Eredivisie and a spot in the Champions League knockout stage.
Pepi’s impactful season also earned him a long-term contract extension with PSV until June 2030, the club announced earlier this week.
However, his absence will be a major one for PSV and the USMNT.
The USMNT returns to competitive action this March in the CONCACAF Nations League Final Four. Mauricio Pochettino is already down three of his leading striking options with Pepi joining Folarin Balogun and Haji Wright on the sidelines.
PSV will continue to look toward club legend Luuk De Jong at the No. 9 position this spring.
First of all, and regardless of anything else, Pepi needs to play well and score goals. He was doing that for PSV and upon return, needs to continue doing that.
His 24 – 25 numbers for the Eredivisie are / were 11 G and 2 A in half as much playing time as de Jong. The numbers don’t show everything, but they strongly indicate that Pepi had at least matched de Jong’s output. If you watched any of PSV’s games in the Eredivisie, it was clear that Pepi was forcing his way into more playing time and some might even say leapfrogging de Jong in the pecking order.
What was crystal clear, and make no mistake about it, was Pepi and his camp were forcing PSV’s hand. Play Pepi more ( and pay him accordingly), or sell him, hence the transfer rumors / inquiries about Pepi. PSV decided to play him more and pay him ( contract extension )…for now.
Before Pepi’s contract extension, he was already making more annually than deJong…to the tune of $400k more per year. For a club like PSV, that is not sustainable…they cannot continue to pay a sub more than a starter and club captain.
Pepi’s injury was untimely, not ideal, and it was a setback, but in the end, once Pepi’s new salary comes to light, we will have a much better idea of PSV’s intentions for next season, with regard to Pepi and his playing time and role within team. As an additional point of information, de Jong’s current contract expires this coming summer.
Given the above, it is looking like Pepi will be a starter for PSV next season and will roll into the World Cup hoping to show well and make a move, post World Cup. PSV is hoping for the same and making a calculated bet that they can maximize Pepi’s transfer value at that time.
Santi Gimenez just moved for $35M. That is the minimum amount that PSV would consider to move Pepi, which would be 3x multiplier on their transfer investment in him. If Pepi has another good season, his value moves closer to 3.5x – 4x multiplier. If he has another good season in the Eredivisie and shows well at the World Cup, well then you are taking crazy money for PSV…5x multiplier or more.
One thing is for certain, we are past the point in time where Pepi is de Jong’s backup and apprentice.
“What was crystal clear, and make no mistake about it, was Pepi and his camp were forcing PSV’s hand. Play Pepi more ( and pay him accordingly), or sell him, hence the transfer rumors / inquiries about Pepi. PSV decided to play him more and pay him ( contract extension )…for now.”
?? This is so dramatic! They were playing him more because they were always going to play him more.
You make it sound like PSV were put in a tough spot by Pepi doing so well.????
I’m betting they were as happy as pigs in shit, watching Ricardo’s value skyrocket and seeing all those euro signs build up.
Earnie announced on day one that they were going to develop Ricardo to succeed de Jong. Pepi showed a knack early on for ” instant offense” so the super sub role made sense.
I don’t know that PSV expected de Jong to respond so well to Pepi’s challenge but that is a happy problem to have. Two goal scoring machines. What a terrible problem.
The knee is a worry, but he has time to get better for the World Cup.
PSV are known for being a “selling club” but it seems like the chance to take advantage of Ricardo having a great WC and thus potentially pushing his value into the stratosphere was too good to pass up.
26 million from West Ham? That’s nothing. Leeds paid more for BA.
Assuming the recovery goes well, Pepi has arguably the brightest future of any American Abroad and it just shows you how important picking the right club can be.
Regarding rotating players, when you are a lesser team, as opposed to France, Germany, Holland and the other big European powers, I think rotating players is a good idea and it also helps to have players who can play more than one position. I can remember when Klinsmann was criticized for doing just that, but I thought it was a good idea then and it is a good idea now. As for Agymang, I don’t think too much stock should be put on how well a player shows in January camp games. He shows a lot of potential, but it’s still only potential. As for Vasquez, he has never stuck out to me.
Sounds like Pepi had a significant meniscus repair. Assuming being somewhat young and no meniscus history there was a meniscus repair and not just a clean up cut and partial removal. That is the sole reason for such a lengthy time frame for recovery. Recovery can range from two weeks to eight weeks for a majority of meniscus surgeries. Most athlete’s recovery fully with little effect on performance with significant percentage of a meniscus removal. However, the type of repair combined with the length of recovery Pepi’s out look is favorable.
I am still intrigue by the new contract with de Jong still being “the guy?”
“I am still intrigue by the new contract with de Jong still being “the guy?”
De Jong is 34. Here are his current stats:
Eredivisie · PSV · 2024-25
Matches 19
Goals 10
Assists 5
He’s “the guy” for a reason.
When Earnie first signed Pepi, he said Pepi was here to learn.
And it has proven to be so.
Since Pepi signed, de Jong has been not only good but phenomenal. I can’t prove anything but I like to think that Pepi has motivated de Jong to play his best.
This is what you look for when you sign a hot shit kid to challenge your veterans. And, predictably, it pisses off Pepi’s USMNT fans who just want de Jong to drop dead so they can see their guy play. Unlike bizzy, Earnie is probably happy that de Jong did not drop dead.
One would think USMNT fans would be grateful to de Jong for pushing Pepi to greater heights. He hasn’t been a wussy and has responded very well to deJong’s challenges.
The new contract reflects the fact that PSV have been getting serious offers but not the kind of fucking crazy offers that they would have to get to let Pepi move prematurely.
I suspect that the plan is that they are still banking on Pepi to have a great World Cup and thus generate the kind of stupid money they would love to see.
de Jong is 34 and depending on how the recovery goes, I think the plan will still be to have Ricardo cut more and more into de Jong’s starting time next season.
Based on the operation and the expected recovery time, what I am watching for is if Boaz brings in another striker and what he looks like.
Most of all , Ricardo just needs to focus on the recovery plan. Everything else will take care of itself.
Gentlemen,
“I think, you need players for different levels, ie Nations League or GC.”
The USMNT has never had the luxury of that kind of depth. Even today , when they allegedly are as deep as they have ever been ( a myth) , it’s often a case of “so, who’s still standing?”. This is true of many national teams so it’s not just a USMNT thing.
Besides depth only actually exists IF YOU USE IT. National teams don’t play enough games to rotate the squad effectively. You might have a left back who is just as good as your #1 left back but if he only plays one game a season with the “A” team that’s a tough way to go. But it is the nature of the beast.
“I like his ceiling…but for right now, I’d still have him behind all of those other guys, as well as Brandon Vasquez. A lot of fellas would have to get hurt before we saw Agyemang…of course, the way we’re picking up injuries, he could well end up starting, too. I’d think it’d be Flo and Sargent, Haji might be brought along as a winger, and if Poch takes a third pure striker it’d likely be Vasquez.”
Injuries are a pretty consistent consideration with many national team players. Their fitness regimes and routines are geared to maximize their fitness FOR THEIR DAY JOBS. National team duty can mess with that. Players can get away without incident but no one should be surprised when they don’t.
Besides Patrick you just mentioned four players, BV, Flo, Josh, Haji.
As I write this;
1. BV has just moved to a new club mostly it seems because he couldn’t get playing time at his old club. He has not impressed in his auditions with Pochettino. Patrick has.
2. Flo is still recovering from a dislocated shoulder
3. Josh had been out injured for a long time, is back scoring but it will be a while before we are not all waiting for him to break down yet again. He plays in a league that has been described, for a variety of reasons, as the toughest in the world. There’s a reason Josh keeps getting injured.
4. Haji is still not back from an ankle injury.
If there is an important USMNT game in the next few days, Josh starts and Patrick is his backup. Josh is brittle and could easily break down again in training, leaving Patrick as the starter.
I’m all for track record and facing tough higher level opposition. But national teams often FORCE you to make do with what you have.
In spite of his theoretically superior pedigree, I got the impression that BV had performance anxiety in his Pochettino tryouts while Patrick did not. Maybe Patrick has ice water in his veins or maybe he is too young and naive to know he’s supposed to be intimidated.
I don’t care.
Having to start either BV or Patrick is not ideal but if that is the call I’m picking Patrick. If he thinks he’s good enough and Pochettino gives him a role where he can succeed, then that should get him through.
Why can’t we have nice things?!! This is why I believe in significant rotation of players for the national team. You never know who will be available. Don’t get it twisted. I’m not saying or inferring that because he wasn’t being rotated with the US is the reason why he got injured during his PSV season. He was in the mist of good season, production wise. My point is …you can have multiple US CFs scoring for their club. (Who starts; who gets in the squad?) …or the other end of the spectrum, …you can have multiple CFs injured. (Who’s starting; who gets in the squad?). Well, if it’s not the same handful of players at CF, and significant rotation happens then you won’t have to be so concerned because you will the next CF ready to play and acclimated to the 1st or A team. We have a number of CFs. Yes, I understand that it’s Poch is job to make that decision. Yes, I’m not the US coach. We truly don’t need to see US players who have over 25 caps starting in friendlys over and over again. I think, you need players for different levels, ie Nations League or GC. I hope Pepi heals up & doesn’t rush back so he’ll be fighting to get on the WC roster. If Poch brings 3 CFs to the NL, my pics would be Vasquez, Sargent, Brian White. If it’s 4, (3-5-2), add Pefok. The ‘25 GC, my pics would be White, Agyemang, & Cole Campbell (if released). Vasquez if no Cole. If it’s a 3-5-2, add Hoppe.
Pefok injured his knee in his first 20 mins with Reims. Couldn’t find an update today but they stretchered him off and not as a time wasting trick.
Well that probably knocks him out of the Gold Cup too. Flo should be back for the Gold Cup with Sargent, Haji and Agyemang in the mix.
I’d be stunned if Agyemang was there…the guy has some potential, and while he did lose some years working his way up from D3 college sports all the way to MLS, bigger strikers develop later, peak later, and play longer anyway, so he had some years to burn. I like his ceiling…but for right now, I’d still have him behind all of those other guys, as well as Brandon Vasquez. A lot of fellas would have to get hurt before we saw Agyemang…of course, the way we’re picking up injuries, he could well end up starting, too. I’d think it’d be Flo and Sargent, Haji might be brought along as a winger, and if Poch takes a third pure striker it’d likely be Vasquez. Honestly, though, the idea of Flo and Sargent as our #1 and #2 (in whatever order) doesn’t bother me since Flo, Sargent, and Pepi all seem knotted up in a bunch anyhow and I couldn’t tell you which of them was the best at this moment. You’d still think any of the three and maybe even Vasquez would be sufficient to butcher CONCACAF opposition, though, especially the way Poch coaches them up.