Arsenal Ready To Rival Liverpool In Pursuit Of American Forward: How Does He Fit In? | OneFootball

According to Fichajes, Arsenal are among clubs interested in Ricardo Pepi. The FC Dallas striker has attracted a lot of attention due to his performances in MLS, with the Gunners joined by Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Wolfsburg and Inter Milan in the list of clubs keen on his services. The player himself is soon set for a big-money move to Europe, potentially in the summer transfer window next year.

Who Is Ricardo Pepi?

Born in Texas, Ricardo Pepi is a homegrown start at FC Dallas, having been a part of the club’s youth academy since an early age. The forward made his breakthrough in MLS last year, making 17 appearances.

The 18-year-old only managed to score two goals but had played just a little over 450 minutes of football. This time around, Pepi has emerged as a first-team starter for Dallas, and the club’s trust in the youngster is paying off, it seems, as he has already notched up 13 goals in 28 appearances.

A centre-forward by trade, the teenage sensation has impressed the onlookers with his expert positioning. In fact, he is being likened to ex-Arsenal superstar Robin van Persie, owing to his ability to find goalscoring opportunities.

Standing at 1.85m, Pepi also offers a decent amount of physicality while his imposing frame also gives him a significant advantage in aerial duels, thus making him a proper goalscoring option upfront.

COLUMBUS, OHIO – OCTOBER 13: Ricardo Pepi #16 of the United States lunges for the ball against Francisco Calvo #15 of Costa Rica during the second half of a 2022 World Cup Qualifying match at Lower.com Field on October 13, 2021 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)

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How Does He Fit In At Arsenal?

Arsenal’s pursuit of Ricardo Pepi likely stems from the uncertainty surrounding the future of their forwards. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has never been the same under Mikel Arteta while Alexandre Lacazette’s current contract expires at the end of the season.

Eddie Nketiah and Folarin Balogun have not been able to make an impression either, falling behind in the pecking order. As such, coach Arteta is now keen on bringing in someone like Pepi, who is more of a target man than all of these four options.

As mentioned earlier, the American teenager has the physique as well as the ability to sniff goalscoring opportunities. His positioning sense, in particular, could be very useful in a team that lacks attacking creativity.

From a sporting perspective, Ricardo Pepi could prove to be a potential upgrade over both Nketiah and Balogun while serving as a long-term replacement for Lacazette. His style of play gives Arteta more variety upfront as well, should the Spaniard require a break from Aubameyang’s technique and pace oriented football.