Fansided

Christian Pulisic can become a superstar at Chelsea

By Graham Ruthven

DORTMUND, GERMANY - DECEMBER 15: Christian Pulisic of Dortmund controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and SV Werder Bremen at the Signal Iduna Park on December 15, 2018 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images)
DORTMUND, GERMANY - DECEMBER 15: Christian Pulisic of Dortmund controls the ball during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and SV Werder Bremen at the Signal Iduna Park on December 15, 2018 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by TF-Images/TF-Images via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Christian Pulisic’s move to Chelsea may mean a lot to American soccer, but first and foremost he’ll improve Maurizio Sarri’s team.

There’s a picture of Christian Pulisic, surely no older than 12, on his father’s shoulders outside Old Trafford. Pulisic was, by his own admission, a Manchester United fan growing up. He might not have got a move to Manchester, but the American’s €64 million switch to Chelsea, confirmed on Wednesday, comes with a certain romanticism.

Pulisic’s route to the Premier League from Hershey, Pennsylvania, hasn’t been an easy one. Moving to Germany at the age of just 14 must have been difficult. Pulisic had to adapt to a new culture and new language all on his own, away from his family, while dealing with the pressure of playing for a super-club like Borussia Dortmund.

And so with the ink barely dry on Pulisic’s new Chelsea contract there is a temptation to claim that the 20-year-old has made it — whatever that means. He’s the first outfield American player to sign for a member of the European elite, with the €64 million fee dwarfing the previous record for a U.S. player (€20 million paid by Wolfsburg for John Brooks in 2017).

But this must only be the start for Pulisic. If he’s truly the player he has been billed as, Chelsea will provide him with the platform to become one of the game’s biggest stars. Pulisic is now at a club that can challenge for European soccer’s top honours. Maurizio Sarri’s side might be in the midst of a transitional season, but Chelsea’s recent track record suggests it won’t be long before they’re back at the top.

Some argue that Pulisic has made a miscalculation in joining a team that is infamous for how rarely it affords opportunities to young players. But Eden Hazard’s move to Chelsea at the age of 21 worked out for him. It’s also just a few months ago that the Blues splurged £72 million on 24-year-old Kepa Arrizabalaga, and the Spaniard has played every minute in the Premier League this season.

Chelsea don’t have the financial clout of the two Manchester clubs, and so when they spend big on a player they view that as an investment. Even Alvaro Morata, a flop by all accounts, has been persisted with purely because he cost £60 million, a club record fee at the time. Pulisic, as Chelsea’s third most expensive signing ever, won’t be farmed out on loan once he arrives in London this summer, as some have speculated.

Pulisic’s move suits everyone concerned. Chelsea have signed a player who’s better than what they currently have to fill a position that is presently a problem area. Pulisic has taken the next step in his career following a stagnant 2018, while Dortmund received €64 million for a player who had fallen out of the first team of late.

The only argument that could possibly be made against the American’s transfer concerns the fee, but if Bayern Munich value Callum Hudson-Odoi, a teenager who has played just 42 league minutes for Chelsea this season, at close to €40 million then Pulisic is well worth €64 million. After all, he has played over 100 games for one of the biggest clubs in Europe, impressing against giants like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, while also becoming the centerpiece of the U.S. men’s national team, all by the age of 20.

Cynically, it has been suggested that Pulisic’s transfer fee was inflated by his marketability as an American. It’s true that Chelsea will likely shift a few more jerseys in the States with Pulisic on the team. NBC may draw greater audiences to their Premier League broadcasts, too. But reducing him to a PR pawn does a real disservice to such a talented player.

Premier League clubs have been known to sign players purely on a marketing basis. Take Man United’s signing of Dong Fangzhuo, for instance. The Chinese striker played only once for the Old Trafford side, but his signing cost United just £500,000. There was no risk to the move. A €64 million transfer isn’t quite the same thing.

Pulisic may well turn out to be American soccer’s first global superstar. The 20-year-old has already made some progress on that objective, fronting up billboards and video game covers. But Chelsea haven’t bought Pulisic because of what he could mean for America, but what he could mean for them. That is more significant.

Home/Premier League