Christian Pulisic’s career at Chelsea is in an awkward state at the moment. The 23-year-old is unhappy with not getting enough game time in Thomas Tuchel’s side after having only started one of their last six Premier League games.
The USA international’s frustrations were made clear by a tweet (now deleted) made by his dad after Chelsea’s 1-0 loss to Everton last week. Mark Pulisic hinted at a potential summer transfer by writing “big six months ahead” for Christian. Per Italian outlet Tuttosport, Pulisic is wanted by Juventus in the summer.
If not given enough reassurances over a regular spot in the team going forward, the 23-year-old could be tempted to join a club that gives him more playing time. Here we debate reasons why Pulisic should leave Chelsea and why he shouldn’t.
Reasons Pulisic should leave
Opportunity to be a bigger star elsewhere
Christian Pulisic is held in high regard at Chelsea, as he’s been wearing their illustrious No.10 shirt for a few seasons now. That being said, he probably won’t be cited as one of the biggest stars on the team.
Thomas Tuchel’s side has gained fame for their defensive fortitude, automatically meaning the defensive players are the most important ones right now. With Tuchel showing no signs of changing his system, Pulisic could perhaps enjoy a switch.
At a team like Juventus, he could be among their most important players as the attacking partner for Dusan Vlahovic. He’d also be a replacement for Paulo Dybala and the player on whom a lot of creative or goal-scoring responsibility is placed.
Pulisic could continue the recent trend of Premier League stars excelling in Serie A (like Tammy Abraham, Chris Smalling and more) and grow his reputation as one of the most exciting forwards in world football.
Pulisic’s chance to prove himself in a different environment
Pulisic has already been quite the journeyman in his short football career. After making his professional debut for Borussia Dortmund and impressing there, he got a chance to join Chelsea in 2019. As a result, he’s already played in the United States, Germany, and England – as well as regularly featuring in (and winning) the Champions League.
The American still has a long career ahead of him and can further increase his popularity by challenging himself to new journeys. If he joins any Serie A club, or looks to move to La Liga, that would mean he’d be playing in his third elite European league. The experience of playing in different competitions with their unique environment can greatly help a player develop into something special. Just ask Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
A new challenge can allow Pulisic to tap into his ultimate ability next season and speed up his quest to reach his peak and prove himself among Europe’s best wingers.
Reasons Pulisic shouldn’t leave
Long-term rewards at Chelsea
Pulisic has been at Chelsea for three years now and looks to be settling in well to the Premier League. This season he has 5 goals and 2 assists, his second-best campaign since arriving in 2019.
Chelsea might be undergoing a transition, but will reward those who stick through the challenging period. A lot of changes are expected in the summer, with players to come and go, but Pulisic will remain an experienced player well accustomed to life at Stamford Bridge.
He should be rewarded with more regular appearances and opportunities going forward because of his experience. The USA international could be given the chance to be a vital part of Chelsea’s potentially new-look attack next season.
With Chelsea likely to go on the upwards trajectory under new owners, Pulisic should enjoy long-term benefits in the next few years, and staying put can help him establish himself as a fan-favorite for years to come.
Pulisic could enjoy his peak somewhere familiar
At the age of 23, Pulisic is still yet to hit his peak – the point of a footballer’s career where they play to their utmost potential. That will probably happen in a few years and Pulisic wouldn’t want to waste those years at an inferior side.
He’d like to enjoy the period at a club that will be challenging (and winning) major titles. In that case, there aren’t many better options than Chelsea. The Blues are a highly ambitious club gunning for silverware every season and can match the dreams of Pulisic as well.
Christian can work on establishing himself as one of the pillars of this Chelsea team in the next few years and then look to become their “main man” at his peak. He was roped in as Eden Hazard’s replacement, so the challenge of replicating Hazard’s heroics and winning Chelsea major titles could be a very tempting prospect for Pulisic.