Christian Pulisic has been tipped to make a move from Chelsea this summer but a new name has appeared in the list of clubs that could swoop in for him. With a mass exodus of players from Stamford Bridge this summer, the American is expected to be amongst a large group parting ways.
Despite the announcement and now imminent arrival of Mauricio Pochettino, Pulisic's future at SW6 is coming to an end as he enters the final 12 months of his initial contract. With neither party currently benefiting from the conditions at play, a sale is the most likely outcome.
As a 24-year-old with seven seasons of top-flight European experience, extreme marketability and quality that has been demonstrated throughout his career in flashes, there is interest in his services. Italy has become the most likely destination with Juventus, AC Milan and Napoli all keen on him but there are options closer to home.
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Last summer it was Manchester United that made an approach to take him on loan in a deal that shocked many given his middling form in England. Newcastle also hold their own admiration and fit the bill perfectly due to their financial backing, Champions League qualification and need for depth.
However, in an unexpected turn, Unai Emery's Aston Villa have emerged as a candidate to take on the USMNT star. “I think there’s a couple of places where he could go and play, which is important,” NBC pundit and former Wimbledon midfielder Robbie Earle told The 2 Robbies podcast “It depends how big a drop-off he may feel it is.
"I think there’s clubs who would be certainly into him. Everton would be an interesting club, Fulham would be an interesting club, Aston Villa might be an interesting place.”
For Pulisic this might be seen as a step down but Villa were one of the form teams in the league in its final stretch with Emery taking over and putting in place the foundations for a successful team. Although the monetary demands would be tested, Villa qualified for the Europa Conference League and will be planning to challenge the established elite once again next season,
It would be a different type of challenge for Pulisic but not one that is unfeasible. Due to accounting costs, Chelsea only need to sell Pulisic for over £12m to make a profit on the books and the club are said to be happy to part ways for just over $24.8m (£20m), a small price to pay for a player of his quality.
With a pre-season tour of USA coming up for the second year in a row, not having Pulisic as a key part of the plans is a trick that has been missed by Chelsea but with him out of the blueprint for Pochettino, a sale before then is now on the cards as seemingly a formality.
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