Why Chelsea would be making a big mistake selling Pulisic

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 19 May 2021 15:43 BST
• 6 min read

The talk of the town at Stamford Bridge recently has been a potential departure for Christian Pulisic, with many Chelsea fans calling for him to be sold.

This would have been unthinkable just eight months ago, but the American’s poor form this season hasn’t gone under the radar.

Big money signings Timo Werner and Kai Havertz have felt the majority of criticism this term, but with just one Premier League goal and one assist to his name in 2020/21, Pulisic has come under heavy fire recently.

It was expected that with former Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel now at the helm, Pulisic would be given a new lease of life under a manager who gave him a chance in the Bundesliga, but that hasn’t been the case.

He’s amassed just 201 minutes in the league since Tuchel’s arrival, a pittance in comparison to fellow winger Callum Hudson-Odoi’s 487 and Mason Mount’s 702 , who has been pushed further forward under new management.

Despite the poor form that has seem him score just that one league goal from an xG of 3.5, Pulisic is still only 22, and most certainly has the talent to get over this blip.

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What Pulisic still has to offer Chelsea

It’s fair to say the Pulisic’s start to life at Chelsea has been hampered by injury; he missed 14 games last year, mostly through an abductor injury, and has already sat out 14 games due to injury this term as well.

His fitness needs to improve, but with a consistent run of games under his belt, Pulisic can be deadly.

This was perhaps most evidently shown at the back-end of last season, with the American stealing the show after Project Restart. In total in 2019/20, Pulisic scored 11 and assisted seven in just 27 starts in all competitions, and alongside Olivier Giroud, Pulisic carried Chelsea across the line and into the top four; it’s easy to forget his quality, but it would be foolish to write him off already.

He averaged 3.0 dribbles and 3.2 shots per 90 across all competitions as well last year, whilst amassing an xG + xA per 90 tally of 0.68 in the league; elite underlying numbers.

Christian Pulisic in the Premier League this season

Furthermore, with Hudson-Odoi often playing as a wing-back under Tuchel, and Hakim Ziyech turning 28 on 19 March and not in favour recently, Pulisic is an excellent option further forward, and letting him go would leave Chelsea slightly light on wingers, forcing them to go out and buy a replacement, something that could be avoided if he stays at Stamford Bridge.

Most players experience a loss of form, but if Tuchel is able to reignite Pulisic’s fire, then Chelsea have a serious player on their hands, and it would be a huge mistake to sell him, especially looking back at other youngsters Chelsea have sold when they experienced a lack of form.

If Chelsea can learn from selling Kevin de Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Romelu Lukaku too soon, and decide to keep hold of Pulisic, then there’s no doubt he will come good again.