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Presently the USMNT captain, Christian Pulisic has had his up and downs in the beautiful game. A maiden move to Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund U-19 in 2019 was the highlight of what looked like a big career ahead of the American. However, loan spells back to his boyhood German club meant settling in London had come with a big challenge. We only had glimpses of what the American captain had to offer English soccer fans in the last three or four seasons.
For a footballer who is still very popular with sports betting sites, most players are not making their first bet on Pulisic, who maintains real odds on online betting platforms such as Footballwhispers.
Will he be any better in the 2023/23 season, following long injury spells and underperformance?
Until recently, Pulisic hasn’t been among the most mentioned name in this summer transfer window. Apart from serving as the captain of USMNT, Pulisic has been oscillating between Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea. A highly publicized €64 million move from the German side to the Londoners hasn’t reflected much on the pitch in the last three seasons.
In his first season, Pulisic scored 9 goals for the Blues in 25 appearances and provided 4 assists along the way. The goal tally plummeted to 4 in his second season. In the third season of 2021/22, the 24-year-old midfielder scored 6 goals, two up from the previous spell.
Scoring 1 goal and providing as many assists in 24 appearances last season was Pulisic’s all-time low as a Blue. The same season, he made 5 UEFA Champions League appearances but that was all to show for his efforts –no assist or goal!
As a Chelsea player, Christian Pulisic has spent at least 400 days due to injury or illness. In total, he missed at least 54 games for the above reasons.
The four-season spell at Chelsea came with only 20 goals for the American midfielder, stats that betray the expectations of many. But with the 2023/24 season beckoning, transfer rumours are milling around the midfielder. Perhaps it is time to explore his potential elsewhere after being a failed Chelsea experiment.
Pulisic missed 11 games between January and May last season due to knee problems However, he was able to return to action in March to feature in 12 games before the end of the 2022/23 season, starting with Chelsea’s 2-0 win over his former Club, Dortmund in UCL Round of 16.
Most recently in June, Pulisic returned to the US National team captaining his side to a 3-0 victory over Mexico in a CONCACAF Finals before a 0-2 victory over Canada in the same tournament. He scored two crucial goals in the clash with Mexico – an opener before the interval and a second one shortly after.
Meanwhile, find out more about Kendall Nakano’s chance to represent Japan in the upcoming softball tournament.
With the midfielder’s star looking to shine again, there is hope among Pulisic’s fans that after recent performances for his national team, 2023/24 could mark a year of recovery for the American captain as he looks to regain his best form.
After getting injured on at least 13 occasions as a Chelsea player and scoring only once, it is time for recovery. He scored only one goal and provided an assist in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, performances that added to a worrying tag of being a ‘Chelsea flop’.
Pulisic is expected to leave Chelsea with a lessened reputation. But at 24, there is still room to be at his best. It shouldn’t be surprising that after 4 turbulent seasons at Stamford Bridge, the American gets another big chance at a top-tier club like AC Milan. He is still young and with proof of excellence when at his best. Should a move to AC Milan happen, it will be the second deal that the Rossoneri will have stuck will Chelsea head of the 2023/24 season.
