According to ESPN, Manchester United is interested in signing Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic on a short-term loan to fill the vacuum left by the high-profile firing of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
Pulisic joined Chelsea in 2019 after leaving Borussia Dortmund for an estimated £58 million price, bringing a lot of excitement with him. In all competitions, he concluded his rookie season with a respectable 11 goals and ten assists.
However, the 24-year-old American has been unable to progress from that point on, largely due to niggling fitness issues. He has struggled to nail down a regular spot in the starting XI at Stamford Bridge, often finding himself stuck on the bench, with neither Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel, nor Graham Potter fancying the winger as a starter.
While he has shown flashes of brilliance in recent seasons and has 47 goal contributions from 133 competitive appearances, it is well-documented that he has grown frustrated with the lack of game time, and with Chelsea eager to sign even more attacking firepower come January, he could fall even further down the pecking order.
This season has been no different for Pulisic, who has started just 5 of the Blues’ 23 possible games in all competitions, totaling barely over 600 minutes. As a result, ESPN says that Pulisic’s advisors are seeking to find the winger a new club in January.
And, with Potter rebuilding his roster to his preference, the Blues may look to cash in on Pulisic in the near future, especially given that the USMNT international only has 18 months remaining on his Chelsea deal. Should he become available for a mid-season transfer, he will likely have no shortage of suitors.
Manchester United, for example, intends to revive its summer interest in the midfielder and is willing to bring him to Old Trafford on loan in January. This comes after Cristiano Ronaldo‘s unexpected and spectacular departure left United lacking in attacking alternatives.
As a result, the Red Devils are searching for a versatile front who can play across the frontline in January, and the former Borussia Dortmund forward is the ideal fit, as a proven alternative with substantial Premier League experience.
Chelsea’s star has recently gained acclaim for his World Cup exploits for the United States, where he made a brilliant assist for Timothy Weah’s goal in the 1-1 tie with Wales.
He then gave right-back Kieran Trippier nightmares with his spark and speed and was named the Man of the Match in the scoreless draw with England, which shows he can be a real difference-maker on the biggest stages.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea will allow their winger to join other top-four rivals on loan in the middle of the season. From the Blues’ standpoint, a permanent transfer or a loan with an obligation to buy for a significant sum makes more sense.
Furthermore, Erik ten Hag‘s team could face heavy competition from league leaders Arsenal and high-flying Newcastle, both of whom have been made aware of the probable availability of the USMNT international.
