If your big concern is goals, then Pepi is the guy you turn to. He’s shown the ability to score them time and time again.
Pepi is, at his core, a finisher. He’s been that for PSV, and for the USMNT, too. There’s a reason that Premier League clubs have been swirling for over a year now, and that’s because Pepi is a type of player that only needs one chance to show how lethal he can be in front of goal.
Despite his reputation as a finisher, Pepi has also added things to his game. Against Senegal before the World Cup, the PSV star showed that he can facilitate, too, by assisting one goal and setting up another. Then, against Australia when he played alongside Balogun, he did plenty of dirty work by occupying center backs, allowing his teammates to find spaces created as a result.
However, Pepi has a different presence than Balogun. He is nowhere near as quick and generally hasn’t played as physically. Due to the quickness aspect, he likely can’t make the runs that Balogun does to ignite the USMNT’s attacks. He also isn’t as strong a presser due to the extra half-second it takes for him to close down.
That said, though, Pepi’s differences could be key, as his presence could open up the door for someone else and, if it doesn’t, he’ll likely only need one real chance to make his own presence felt.