Jamie Carragher has shared that he is ‘very worried’ for Leeds United and Chelsea transfer target Christian Pulisic after he was left on the bench by Chelsea boss Graham Potter in the Champions League on Wednesday night, as he told CBS Sports (05/10/22 at 10:15 pm).
The USA international has struggled to earn regular minutes this season and that continued as Chelsea breezed past Serie A champions AC Milan 3-0 at Stamford Bridge.
The 24-year-old has earned just one start this term – against West Ham United last month – and during Potter’s early days, the winger is still waiting to be named in the starting XI by his new Chelsea boss.
This isn’t great reading for Pulisic because, during the 2022 summer transfer window, there was talk of the likes of Leeds United and Newcastle United being keen on his talents – and that has continued for the £58 million man ahead of the January transfer window.
Whilst a January move to another club might come about, it’s still not going to help the player because the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is just over a month away.
Given that Pulisic is the USA’s captain and key player, then he needs to be fit and firing, but given how he’s being used at Chelsea, then Carragher thinks the signs aren’t too great.
On where Pulisic is at from USA’s perspective: “Where we have been for the last two years, in terms of his Chelsea career,” said Carragher. “Of course, the manager at Chelsea changes quite a lot. You always think, ‘okay, you are going to have a new chance to prove something and play differently’.
“But we haven’t seen much of him already and it’s early days for Graham Potter. Tuchel didn’t use him too much. The new manager, certainly during these early games, so I think it’s a little worrying for Americans, in terms of the World Cup.
“We are talking for England as well about getting players up to speed for the World Cup and it doesn’t seem like Pulisic is going to be at his best, in terms of fitness, energy, sharpness and rhythm going into the World Cup, so I think it’s very worrying for him.
“I don’t see how he’s going to get the games. There are so many players in those attacking positions. The most he’s going to get is minutes coming off the bench and that won’t be enough for him to show his best for the national team at the World Cup.”
ANOTHER MANAGER, MORE QUESTION MARKS FOR PULISIC…
Maurizio Sarri was the one in the Chelsea dugout when Pulisic was officially signed by Chelsea during the 2019 January transfer window, before linking up with his new team during that forthcoming summer.
The all-action forward joined with big expectations on his shoulders and the hope that he can provide some stardust to Chelsea’s forward line.
Whilst there have been glimpses, here and there, it just hasn’t been enough for Pulisic to continually warrant a regular start, not just under one manager, but several.
Now, Potter is known to chop and change on a weekly basis, depending on the opponent, so if Pulisic isn’t part of that during the next six weeks, then he’s in serious trouble heading into Qatar and his career as a whole in West London.
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