7:04 PM ET
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Jeff CarlisleU.S. soccer correspondent
- Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC.
FC Dallas and United States international forward Ricardo Pepi is close to finalizing a deal that would see him land with Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Fabrizio Romano and 90min were the first to report the impending deal.
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The source said that if the deal is completed, the transfer fee would be in the neighborhood of $20 million plus add ons. The base transfer fee would be the highest in Major League Soccer history. Alphonso Davies‘ move from the Vancouver Whitecaps to Bayern Munich was in excess of that number, but that included incentives.
Pepi’s arrival in Augsburg would see him bolster an attack in desperate need of goals. Augsburg is in 15th place, just above the relegation zone. Its haul of 17 goals in 17 games is tied for the fourth-worst mark in the Bundesliga as it headed into the winter break.
Bundesliga rivals Wolfsburg were thought to be the frontrunners to land Pepi, but now it appears that Augsburg have won the race to sign the American.
Pepi has seen his reputation and form skyrocket in the last 12 months. He scored 13 goals in 31 league appearances this season for Dallas. That resulted in a call-up to the U.S. men’s team where he scored three goals — all in World Cup qualifiers — in seven appearances.
All told, Pepi has scored 16 goals in 57 league and playoff appearances for Dallas.
