Liverpool look set to miss out on Christian Pulisic for the time being.
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has told Sports Illustrated the club are ready to offer teenage sensation Christian Pulisic a new deal in order to ward off interest from Liverpool.
The 18-year-old American has been a revelation since breaking into the Dortmund first team in the early months of 2016, scoring twice and setting up four more in a prosperous start to his first full-season in the Bundesliga under Thomas Tuchel.
Pulisic’s rapid ascent culminated in a maiden senior call-up to the USA national team just two months after he made his debut in the German top flight against Ingolstadt in January, with many pundits across the Atlantic already tipping him as the greatest footballing talent in the country’s history.
He also became the youngest ever Dortmund player to feature in the Champions League in September, marking the occasion with a sublime assist in a 6-0 hammering of Legia Warsaw before repeating the trick in their thrilling draw with Real Madrid.
Consequently, Dortmund are understandably eager to hang on to a player who could become a crucial cog for the Bundesliga giants in years to come.
“There have been some offers for him in the summer window from England and from German clubs,” Zorc revealed to Sports Illustrated.
“But we would like to have him here and develop him here. We didn’t educate him to sell him.
“We have a long-running contract until 2019, but because of his development the club is ready to speak to him to prolong his contract at any time.”
Sports Illustrated report that Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, as well as ambitious Bundesliga newcomers RB Leipzig, were among the clubs to have launched bids of over £16 million in the summer.
However, any advances are likely to be spurned as Dortmund look to secure the short, and long, term future of the brightest talent in a league chock-full of potential next-generation superstars.
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