According to a recent report by the Mirror, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has come out and stated publicly that summer arrival Christian Pulisic is not going to be leaving Stamford Bridge in January. There have been rumours flying around over the last month, suggesting that Pulisic is unhappy with the treatment he is receiving and that he would look for a loan move in January. Although the player hasn’t made a statement on this regard, manager Frank Lampard was quick to extinguish any remaining flames.
What Is Christian Pulisic’s Situation At Chelsea?
The American skipper joined Chelsea from Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window, only to be immediately loaned back to the German giants for the remainder of the 18/19 Bundesliga season. Having finished the campaign in 2nd place just behind Bayern Munich, Pulisic had a lot to be proud about when he left Germany. He might’ve even been quietly confident about making a positive impression once he made the big-money switch to West London.
Only once he arrived though, did he realise the amount of competition for places that exist within a European super-club like Chelsea. With that said, moving to England from any other league in the world is no laughing matter. The physicality and the sheer pace of the game tend to put many players off.
The American started the season on the bench and is yet to have too much of an influence. In the Blues’ latest 1-0 win over Newcastle, the youngster made his first real impact for the club. Having come in place of Mason Mount, he then played the key pass that would open the Magpies defence up and let Alonso score the only goal of the night.
Is Christian Pulisic Really Premier League Quality?
The moment he stepped onto the pitch against Newcastle, you could see the mood around the stadium changing. Despite being 21, the youngster has the confidence to take on any defence and has the skill to beat them with ease. The American’s most useful talent is probably his ability to hold onto the ball until the very last minute before releasing it – as was seen in their solitary goal against the Magpies.
What this does is attract more defenders towards the ball; meaning that there would be more space opening up for the players around him. With a strong mental frame, Pulisic has all the attributes to excel in the Premier League.
Why Chelsea Should Hold Onto Christian Pulisic
The gulf in class and quality between the soccer that’s played in the USA and football played in Europe is extremely large. The fact that a 21-year-old has been a successful player at Dortmund is proof enough that he’s more than capable of doing wonders at any club. Also, he has been a part of the Stamford Bridge family only since August, and he should be given the time to perform. Despite being behind the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Willian in the pecking order, the American will be confident of having a good future at Chelsea. Frank Lampard seems like the kind of manager who understands and appreciates the effort that goes on behind the scenes and as long as it stays that way, ‘Captain America’ will always have a place in the Chelsea squad.
