USMNT news: Balogun to Lille, Steffen to Leicester, Pepi to PSV

Today’s USMNT news includes Folarin Balogun being linked with Lille, Zack Steffen is a target for Leicester City and Ricardo Pepi is set to join PSV. 

USMNT news: Folarin Balogun to Lille

Arsenal are set to go on a tour of the USA next month, where they will play fixtures against the MLS ALL-Stars, Manchester United and Barcelona. As much as Folarin Balogun would like to be a part of this trip, he needs to resolve his future with many teams interested. However, there do not appear to be any clubs close to signing the USMNT forward.

The latest club to be linked with Balogun is LOSC Lille, this is according to Sacha Tavolieri. The journalist has reported that Lille will look to sign the Arsenal player if Jonathan David departs the club. Lille has recently agreed to sell fellow American Timothy Weah to Juventus.

Balogun has been linked with some top clubs including RB Leipzig, AC Milan and Juventus. Lille may not be the team that many expected for the player who scored 21 goals in 37 games for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1 last season. However, staying in France might be good for the player’s development. Balogun could also play for Lille in the Europa Conference League next season.

USMNT news: Zack Steffen to Leicester City

Leicester City have recently appointed Enzo Maresca -who was an assistant coach at Manchester City- as their new manager. Maresca appears to be wasting no time in raiding his old club as he looks to guide the Foxes back to the Premier League.

The Telegraph has revealed that Maresca is “keen on Manchester City goalkeeper Zack Steffen.” The player spent last season on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship where the side made it to the play-off semi-finals.

Signing Steffen could be a shrewd bit of business for the Foxes. The club never really replaced Kasper Schmeichel when he joined Nice and they have since been using Danny Ward as their first-choice goalkeeper. Steffen would expect to play every game for Leicester as he also looks to challenge Matt Turner for the starting spot with the USMNT.

USMNT news: Ricardo Pepi to PSV

Ricardo Pepi to PSV Eindhoven appears to be completed. This comes after Fabrizio Romano tweeted “Ricardo Pepi to PSV Eindhoven, done deal confirmed — he only wanted PSV as revealed weeks ago. Understand the fee will be €10m already agreed with Augsburg, personal terms also agreed upon last week. Contract until June 2028. USMNT striker stays in Eredivisie. Here we go.”

Pepi did very well for a poor FC Groningen side last year, so he should flourish at PSV which is one of the best teams in the Netherlands. However, he will be competing with club captain Luuk de Jong for a starting place. De Jong scored 14 goals in 24 Eredivisie games last season where Pep found the back of the net 12 times in 29 matches.