Fulham close in on Oscar Bobb as Ricardo Pepi talks break down

Fulham’s late January business has taken a split path, with talks for Ricardo Pepi stalling while a move for Manchester City winger Oscar Bobb edges closer as Deadline Day approaches.

Marco Silva’s side remain active in the market, but momentum has shifted decisively towards one deal as another slips out of reach.

Fulham’s pursuit of Ricardo Pepi has hit a standstill. The club submitted a bid to PSV Eindhoven last weekend, but FootballPlace understands there are currently no active negotiations between the two sides.

Pepi has been a long-term target for Fulham, and the club were prepared to push ahead despite the 23-year-old recently undergoing surgery on a broken arm. That willingness underlined how highly Silva rates the American forward.

However, with uncertainty over PSV’s stance and no dialogue ongoing, the deal appears to have lost momentum as the deadline draws closer.

While Pepi talks have cooled, Fulham are closing in on a £27m agreement for Manchester City winger Oscar Bobb.

The Norwegian international was scheduled to undergo a medical on Thursday ahead of a permanent switch to Craven Cottage. The structure of the deal would see City retain a 20 per cent sell-on clause, as well as matching rights on any future transfer — a clear indication of how highly Bobb remains rated at the Etihad.

Bobb is seeking regular first-team football ahead of this summer’s World Cup and has slipped down the pecking order at City following the £62.5m arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

Fulham’s need for attacking reinforcements has been heightened by the departure of Adama Traoré, who completed his move to West Ham earlier this week. That exit created both space and urgency in Silva’s forward options.

Bobb is viewed as a player who can immediately contribute across multiple attacking roles, offering pace, creativity and goal threat — qualities Silva has prioritised in recent windows.

Having followed Fulham’s recruitment closely, this move aligns with a familiar pattern: targeting high-upside players blocked at elite clubs and offering them a clear pathway to minutes.

Despite yet to complete a January signing, Silva has remained publicly calm. Speaking last week, the Fulham head coach stressed unity behind the scenes.

“What I can say is that we were aligned on everything we wanted to achieve in January,” Silva said. “The January transfer window is never easy… however, we remain aligned, and I truly believe the club is doing everything possible to implement the plan we agreed on.”

With Bobb close and Pepi unresolved, that alignment is now being tested in real time.

Pursuing Bobb while shelving Pepi reflects a pragmatic late-window strategy. One deal offers immediacy and upside, the other carries medical and negotiation risk. However, it remains too early to draw firm conclusions on whether Fulham can address all their attacking needs before the window shuts. This is subject to confirmation as talks continue behind the scenes.

Fulham’s immediate focus is finalising the Oscar Bobb deal before Monday’s deadline. Whether they can revive interest in Pepi — or pivot to an alternative striker — remains uncertain. Much will depend on timing and availability, but Bobb’s arrival would represent a significant step in executing Silva’s January plan.

Would Oscar Bobb alone be enough to lift Fulham’s attack — or do the Cottagers still need a striker before Deadline Day?