FC Augsburg: Dispute about Ricardo Pepi

The Bundesliga club FC Augsburg has not yet received an offer for a record transfer from Ricardo Pepi. “So far there have been no inquiries let alone any offers for him. A sale is therefore currently not an issue for us,” said manager Stefan Reuter sky. But the center forward “doesn’t want to go back to Augsburg”

Pepi came to Augsburg from Dallas in January 2022 for the record sum of 16 million euros, but did not live up to expectations in the FCA jersey in the second half of the previous season. The American is currently on loan to Dutch first division side FC Groningen.

“As always, we would deal with concrete and adequate offers. But we then discuss that directly with him and the consultant, not in public,” said Reuter. FCA coach Enrico Maassen recently expressed his delight at the forthcoming collaboration with Pepi: “We’re looking forward to his return soon.”

Ricardo Pepi: “I don’t want to go back to Augsburg”

However, the center forward has completely different plans than Reuter and Maassen. Opposite the Dutch football magazine Voetbal International The 16 million euro man explained: “I don’t want to go back to Augsburg. I let the club know that too.” When he moved to the Fuggerstadt, he was told and promised things that Reuters later failed to keep. “The way they treated me” is the reason why “going back to Augsburg is not an option,” stated Augsburg’s record purchase unequivocally.

Counselor Jaime Garcia was more specific in the allegations. “They didn’t know how to deal with the investment,” he said to FCA. He held manager Reuter particularly responsible. “The director wanted him so much that he didn’t get to meet Ricardo twice,” Garcia explained of the broken relationship, “Pepi isn’t going back to Augsburg!”

After a disappointing Bundesliga second half of 2022 at FC Augsburg without a goal, Ricardo Pepi was loaned to FC Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie last summer. That’s where the 20-year-old storm talent really blossoms. Despite being second to bottom, Pepi has already scored ten goals and set up three more in 23 league games. He also met in the state cup for Groningen. With his good performances, he played his way back into the USA national team and scored three goals in just two games (two against Grenada, one against El Salvador) during the suspension phase at the end of March.