With each passing day, Christian Pulisic gets closer to the expiry of his contract with AC Milan, but he has reportedly had no talks over a potential extension with the Italian outfit yet.
Pulisic’s current contract expires at the end of the 2026–27 season. The deal includes the option for Milan to extend it for an additional year, keeping the American at San Siro until June 2028.
The situation appears rather tenuous on paper, considering Pulisic’s disastrous end to 2025–26 and lackluster start to this season. Alarm bells only sounded louder when The Athletic reported Milan have not opened discussions with the 28-year-old for a new deal.
Yet the Rossoneri’s “intention” is to keep Pulisic beyond his current contract, per the outlet. The club did not “entertain” interest from MLS side New York City FC this summer because they see the forward’s future at Milan.
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Things Could Develop Quickly for Pulisic
Lack of talks over a new deal could change swiftly if Pulisic re-establishes himself as a core player for Milan. The U.S. men’s national team star recorded 53 goal contributions for the club in his first two seasons and then saw a rapid decline in form last season.
Pulisic did not find the back of the net in 2026 and eventually lost his place in the XI. Nagging fitness woes along the way didn’t help matters, nor did an underwhelming World Cup this summer, where he suffered another injury.
New Milan boss Ruben Amorim kept him on the bench for the team’s first three matching this season, but has since given Pulisic minutes in the team’s next three matches. The forward tallied a goal and an assist in that run, particularly benefiting from Amorim loosening his typically rigid tactics.
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Should Pulisic retain his re-found place in the XI and keep contributing, he puts himself in a prime position to negotiate a new deal to extend his stay in Milan beyond his current deal.
But there’s room for error as well; another forgetful season could prompt the club to move on from the American, or come to the table with unfavorable terms. It’s hard to imagine Milan rushing to give Pulisic a long-term deal and a bump in salary if he once again goes months and months without scoring.
A New Deal Would Pressure Mauricio Pochettino
It’s impossible to talk about Pulisic without intertwining the USMNT. He was a shock absentee from Mauricio Pochettino’s 28-man roster for fall friendlies against Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada.
The Argentine manager made it clear he wants to explore the next generation of talent in the build-up to the 2030 World Cup. For the first time in possibly his entire career, Pulisic is no longer an untouchable player in red, white and blue.
A statement new contract from Milan would be a powerful tool to help Pulisic get back on Pochettino’s radar. It would go hand in hand with a return to his best form, which would no doubt get the manager’s attention.
At the end of the day, Pulisic at his best is what’s best for the USMNT. There’s plenty of talent to pick up the slack, yes, but the team simply doesn’t stand a chance against strong European sides without their top player delivering—the World Cup round of 16 proved just that.
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