USMNT Star’s Potential Christian Pulisic-Type Leap Comes With a Risk

A place in Mauricio Pochettino’s XI at the 2026 FIFA World Cup could be on the line.

Pepi was the most in-form American striker in 2025–26 before suffering his most recent injury. | Ira L. Black/USSF/Getty Images

Fulham have reportedly made a bid to bring U.S. men’s national team striker Ricardo Pepi to the Premier League despite his serious arm injury.

Pepi got 2025–26 off to a scintillating start, scoring 11 goals in 22 appearances for PSV Eindhoven. The 23-year-old then broke his arm in January and been on the long road to recovery since—a process that is expected to take two months.

The injury was not enough for Fulham to deter their interest in the American forward. According to ESPN, the Cottagers submitted a €32 million ($38 million) offer for Pepi’s services.

The English outfit previously saw its €28 million ($33.3 million) bid rejected by PSV back in December. The reigning Dutch champions are thought to be looking for around €35 million ($41.6 million) for their attacker, who joined the club in 2023.

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Pepi Could Follow in Pulisic’s Footsteps

Christian Pulisic helped Chelsea win the Champions League in 2021. | Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC/Getty Images

While many American stars are currently making a name for themselves throughout Europe, so few players of the current generation have impressed in the Premier League apart from Christian Pulisic. The USMNT captain bid farewell to Borussia Dortmund and joined Chelsea ahead of the 2019–20 season and went on to make history.

Pulisic made 145 appearances in his four seasons at Stamford Bridge, scoring 26 goals along the way. The winger won three trophies with Chelsea, including the 2020–21 Champions League title, a piece of silverware that came with a place in the competition’s record books —Pulisic became the first American player to ever play in a Champions League final, and only the second to lift the trophy after Jovan Kirovski.

His time in a blue shirt was not always so blissful as that night at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, Portugal. Recurring fitness struggles, inconsistent minutes and a carousel of managers and attacking personnel marred Pulisic’s days at Chelsea, so much so that he eventually transferred to AC Milan ahead of the 2023–24 season.

Still, Pulisic—and now Antonee Robinson and Chris Richards—proved today’s crop of impressive Americans can thrive in what is considered the most competitive league in the world, laying the groundwork for someone like Pepi to try and replicate their successes.

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How a Premier League Move Could Influence Pepi’s Role at the 2026 World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino has a close eye on his USMNT players ahead of the World Cup. | John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

Should PSV and Fulham come to an agreement before the January transfer window closes for Pepi, the No. 9 is gambling big with his future. After all, prior to his injury, he was in the form of his life in the Netherlands, undoubtedly gaining the attention of USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino.

A move to the Premier League takes most players time to adjust, especially ones working their way back to full match fitness. Returning to play for a new team in a much more difficult league after so much time on the sidelines is a massive challenge, one that could ultimately harm Pepi’s chances of logging consistent minutes at this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Just look at what happened to Gio Reyna—the midfielder was regarded as one of the most exciting American talents, and between injuries and a horrible stint at Nottingham Forest, he saw his place in the Stars and Stripes’ squad almost completely disappear.

Transferring to the Premier League five months before the World Cup is a risk for Pepi, who was looking like a surefire option to at minimum serve as Folarin Balogun’s backup next summer. A failure to return to his goalscoring form and play consistent minutes at Fulham could incite Pochettino to look at other options, leaving Pepi as nothing more than an afterthought in the biggest tournament of his career.

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