Christian Pulisic has a big summer ahead of him as the USMNT star will be thinking long and hard about his future at the club level.
Should he stay? Chelsea† Should he leave? Where should he go?
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The latest report on his future is from The Daily Telegraphas they say Chelsea have offered Juventus one of Pulisic and Timo Werner, plus money, for Matthijs de Ligt.
Of course, USMNT fans are hoping that whatever happens to Christian Pulisic at Chelsea will be the best thing for the US leading up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
But there’s no way of knowing what’s best for his future and this summer is a really big moment in his career.
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USMNT star has many options
Look, it’s clear that Chelsea seem very keen to freshen up their attack and are happy to leave Pulisic this summer.
Pulisic has scored big goals and won big trophies at Chelsea in the last three seasons, but his injury record is worrying and he doesn’t really fit into Thomas Tuchel’s 3-4-2-1 system as the German coach prefers narrow forwards and Pulisic is a real winger.
Whether Chelsea’s new American owners will sell him – he has two years to go, so his transfer value will only decline after this summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal – remains to be seen, but many clubs will want to put the USMNT star on to get. His talent is undeniable.
With Raheem Sterling and Ousmane Dembele both linked with a move to Chelsea, plus the Blues pushing hard to bring Raphinha from Leeds, all three of these players are playing in very similar positions to Pulisic.
Things don’t look good for his future at Chelsea.
Tuchel loves Pulisic a lot, but he is allowed that he sees him as a player who can make a real impact from the bench and often uses him in that role. If Pulisic stays at Chelsea next season and they sign two from Sterling, Dembele and Raphinha, the competition in his role will be huge. From next season, five subs per game in the Premier League will be allowed, but Pulisic definitely wants more than a supporting role at a top team.
Will he get that at Chelsea? Maybe not.
Where should he go?
If he feels like a move, it’s not a bad idea to go to Turin to play for Juve.
They’re in the UEFA Champions League, his good friend Weston McKennie is heavily relied upon in midfield (USMNT fans salivate at the idea of being able to mix week in, week out in Italy) and Juve’s attacking options aren’t as plentiful as Chelsea’s . He would battle returning Federico Chiesa for game time, but Juventus have relieved many attacking stars this summer with Federico Bernardeschi and Paulo Dybala both leaving. This could be a good chance for him to play a key role in a top European team.
Pulisic seems to need a fresh start somewhere and at 23 (turning 24 in September) he still has the prime of his career ahead of him. He can’t waste his best time sitting on a bench or playing for a manager who doesn’t fully believe in him.
He will have options in Italy, Spain, Germany and the Premier League, but above all he must play for a team that best suits his style of play and for a manager who will play him regularly.
The fact that Chelsea are offering him to other clubs tells all of us, including Pulisic, that it’s time to move on.
Transfer news: Chelsea offers Christian Pulisic as part of Matthijs de Ligt deal originally appeared on NBCSports.com