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Christian Pulisic could join Napoli in swap deal

By Robert Wheeler

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Christian Pulisic of Chelsea applauds fans following the Premier League match between Leicester City and Chelsea FC at The King Power Stadium on March 11, 2023 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Christian Pulisic of Chelsea applauds fans following the Premier League match between Leicester City and Chelsea FC at The King Power Stadium on March 11, 2023 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images) /
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Christian Pulisic has recently returned to action for Chelsea after a lengthy spell out due to a knee injury. However, he is still being linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge. 

Napoli has been the latest club to be mentioned as a possible destination for the U.S. men’s national team star. The Italian website Calciomercato has reported that Chelsea would be willing to swap Pulisic for Napoli’s Victor Osimhen.

A striker is what Chelsea’s squad needs. They have invested heavily in the squad but the missing piece is a forward. Osimhen has scored 21 goals in 23 Serie A games this season, so he could be the man to solve the club’s striker crisis.

Pulisic was expected to depart the Blues in January but his injury ruled him out of any possible move. He is back playing for Graham Potter’s side now, so he has a chance to prove his worth as we enter the business end of the season.

Would Napoli be a good destination for Christian Pulisic?

Napoli is top of Serie A by an astonishing 19 points over second-place Lazio. So for Pulisic to join a team that competes for league titles in Italy would be tempting.

However, with the success that they have had this season, many of their best performers like Osimhen will likely be sold to other top sides in Europe. Their team have done exceptionally well this season but may find it hard to replicate their success.

They play with a 433 formation which would suit Pulisic as he can play on either flank. Napoli has some great wingers including Khvicha Kvaratskhelia who has 12 goals and 12 assists this season. So the USMNT player would still have a lot of competition for a starting place.

What other options does Pulisic have?

There has been a lot of speculation on Pulisic’s future. He has been linked with other Italian clubs including Juventus and AC Milan. A move to La Liga with Atletico Madrid has also been talked about. Although a move to another team in the Premier League could also be on the cards. There have been rumors of interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United.

Pulisic has impressed since returning to the Chelsea team and featured in wins over Borussia Dortmund and Leicester City. He started their last match against Everton and scored but it was ruled out for offside. When he was replaced by Conor Gallagher in the second half, the American got a great reception from the Blues supporters.

He is currently with the USMNT as they prepare for fixtures against Grenada and El Salvador. His country needs him to make sure he is at a club where he gets regular playing time ahead of the 2026 World Cup which the USA is co-hosting.

In a recent interview with ESPN, Pulisic spoke of his love for Chess. Although some eagle-eyed fans of the game would have spotted that a picture of his board was the wrong way around, Pulisic will hopefully make the right moves when it comes to his soccer career.

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