North Texas SC has signed forward Diego Pepi to an MLS NEXT Pro contract for the remainder of the 2023 and through the 2024 season.
The 18-year old, brother of former FC Dallas Homegrown forward Ricardo Pepi, made his North Texas SC debut as an FC Dallas Academy player in the 1-0 win on the road over LAFC2 at Titan Stadium on March 26. Since making his debut, Pepi has featured in nine games, tallying a total of 128 minutes played. He scored his first professional and MLS NEXT Pro goal against St Louis CITY2 on May 28 at CITYPARK in a 2-2 draw.
Pepi joined the FC Dallas Youth ECNL ’04 team for the 2021 season. He moved up to FC Dallas Academy U-19 ahead of the 2023 season. He featured in all three of the group stage matches of the 2023 Dallas Cup U19 Super Group, where he contributed two goals, one against Real Madrid and one against CF Monterrey’s Academy.
“We are thrilled that (Diego) Pepi has committed to us,” said North Texas SC Interim Head Coach John Gall. “He’s a hard-working player who makes the game very uncomfortable for defenders with his pressing and hunting for the ball. He’s a natural goal scorer that puts himself in dangerous spots. I have no doubt that he will continue to push his boundaries and make a big impact at our club.”
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