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Christian Pulisic might already be the most talented American football player ever to set foot on a football pitch.
At 19 years of age, he’s also one of the most talented youngsters not only in the Bundesliga, but all of Europe as well. While not as prolific in terms of goals and assists as Bayer Leverkusen’s Leon Bailey, he’s similarly among the most coveted players in this summer’s transfer market and has a decidedly bright future ahead him. He is the real deal.
Christian Pulisic: Won possession in the attacking third more times (24) than any other player in the Bundesliga this season
— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) May 18, 2018
For more player stats -- https://t.co/FdAxNKr1iC pic.twitter.com/n3Bys5IigE
Him being American is also a plus, as this carries with him potential to explore one of the world’s biggest markets that still lacks a major footballing presence. So it is not much of a surprise that Pulisic’s name has been linked with transfers to several of the Premier League’s top sides.
Those however may not come to fruition just yet. According to Christian’s father Mark, those rumours are “hogwash”. Pulisic will instead sit down with Dortmund and see what is best for his future, which probably will entail a new contract.
“He was linked to Tottenham. Last week it was Liverpool. The week before Man United. The week before this… it’s hogwash.
“He’s linked with a different club every week. I have no idea. His agent right now is working and looking, in close relation with me and Christian, and we’re just trying to see what the best phase of his next development will be.
“Now is the time that the season has just ended that we’ll sit down with Dortmund, we’ll sit down with, I don’t know whether others clubs are in the mix, [and see what] Dortmund’s idea is and their plans for Christian.
“But there’s nothing concrete. Right now, Christian plays for Dortmund and that’s where he is planning on playing again next year.”
Of course Mark is not a fool to completely dismiss other potential suitors for his son in the near future. Christian has been scouted by Chelsea and several others ever since he took his first steps on the pitch for Dortmund back in 2016, and they can very well follow this interest with proper bids this summer.
“I don’t know [if staying at Dortmund is the best move for Christian]. I wish I had the answer because life would then become very easy. But there’s always change. You can think one thing, then you do it, and at the end of the day it wasn’t the right thing.”
“Football is crazy. You kind of have to go with the flow and make sure the player feels comfortable, whatever the decision is. There’s no magic formula. Is it right to stay at Dortmund? Who knows. Is it right to move to another club? He might think it is, or someone else might think it is, but it might not be in part of his mind.”
“The only thing we can do is continue to talk with him and make sure he’s always in the loop of what’s going on, present all the facts and the content of what can happen, or will happen. It’s up to the player to make that final call.”
Pulisic’s move to the Premier League may not happen this summer, but one day it probably will. Mark, a former player and coach on the professional indoor soccer circuit in the USA and current assistant at second division Pittsburgh Riverhounds, knows the reality of the modern game all too well.
“I think the Premier League is a league he’s always aspired to be in and play in. As a player nowadays, there are so few players staying at one club throughout a career. The chances of him moving to different clubs and different leagues is a high probability.”
-Mark Pulisic; Source: Sky Sports
And so we wait. And hope that Chelsea will come out on top in this race.