Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic could “embrace” the recent managerial appointment of Graham Potter more than most of his team-mates.
That is according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who believes that Thomas Tuchel’s sacking from the Blues last week could well be a turning point for the USA captain at Stamford Bridge and could persuade him to stay put in west London rather than seeking a move elsewhere.
What’s the word?
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT about the change in management at Chelsea, Jones said: “I can see Pulisic, in particular, embrace this. He wanted a change of team in the summer, and a change of manager at Chelsea is the next best thing.
“And actually, it might even be a better thing because there’s less upheaval for him. He hasn’t got to move anywhere; it means that he stays part of this team and gets to actually prove himself in this team.”
Sliding doors moment?
Will the appointment of Potter prove the sliding-doors moment in Pulisic’s Chelsea career that Jones has hinted?
The 23-year-old made a bold entrance into Stamford Bridge with an impressive 15 attacking returns in the form of nine goals and four assists in his first 25 Premier League games for the club. Since then, however, Pulisic’s input has faded somewhat. Injury has played its part in seeing the American start just 13 league matches last season, with illness and an ankle injury limiting his action.
Injuries have not been kind to him during his career at Stamford Bridge, seeing him miss 44 games in his three full years in west London.
With the appointment of a manager in Potter, who thrives in the transitional and rotational parts of the game, the £150k-per-week Pulisic would well see his potential unlocked.
The American made a six-minute cameo against RB Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday night and will hope that such piecemeal game-time is not a sign of things to come.
Only time will tell whether Potter makes the 23-year-old a regular part of his first XI, but this is definitely one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks and months – especially with Pulisic’s compatriot Todd Boehly now at the helm of the club, which may result in him wanting to see the USA skipper picked regularly.
