To suppose, many Chelsea supporters contemplated if that fantastic spell in the course of the lockdown interval of 2020 can be one of the best we’d ever see of a participant who burned brilliant however temporary within the Premier League.
With followers barred from stadiums in the course of the COVID pandemic, it was a humorous outdated time for English soccer.
The scorelines typically rivalled these of that Boxing Day 1963 meme – Aston Villa 7-2 Liverpool, anybody? – whereas a handful of gamers produced one of the best soccer of their careers in entrance of an viewers restricted to their very own residing rooms.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin hit 21 targets for Everton in that 2020/21 season. Patrick Bamford earned himself an England call-up. Jesse Lingard, for some time, seemed like arguably the Premier League’s premiere attacking midfielder on mortgage at West Ham.
And for Christian Pulisic, comparisons with Chelsea icon Eden Hazard didn’t appear too removed from actuality because the American danced previous defenders with ease.
That Chelsea bought Pulisic to AC Milan for a mere £19 million simply two years later – after he scored as soon as in 30 appearances throughout a tough ultimate season – epitomised the speedy decline of a status which had glittered albeit sporadically in West London.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic hails former Chelsea ace Christian Pulisic
Flash ahead to November 2024, nonetheless, and Pulisic’s stellar shows within the pink and black of the Rossoneri are lastly proving that the previous Borussia Dortmund wonderkid can carry out to the height of his powers in entrance of a baying crowd.
Pulisic – with seven targets and 5 assists in simply 15 video games – is averaging a ‘purpose contribution’ each time he steps onto the pitch in AC Milan colors today.
And Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who works as an advisor today to Milan house owners Pink Fowl, believes that Pulisic’s rampaging revival is right down to the Italian giants’ capacity to show one membership’s trash into one other’s treasure.
“I believe Christian is our ‘Captain America’,” Ibrahimovic tells the UEFA Champions League journal with typical bravado. “He’s doing extraordinary issues.
“You possibly can see that he’s blissful. Being at Milan makes each participant blissful. This isn’t simply my opinion, each participant would inform you an identical factor. They’ve an optimum atmosphere to focus solely on soccer and efficiency on the pitch.
“As for Pulisic, we’ve revitalised him. And, now, you possibly can see that he’s actually blissful on the pitch, and because of this he’s acting at a excessive degree. Off the pitch, he’s additionally important for us.”
Pulisic just isn’t the one former Premier League benchwarmer who has bounced again in Milan. He’s not even the one former Chelsea benchwarmer.
Liverpool hyperlinks have Anfield icon break up over Pulisic
Fikayo Tomori blossomed into one in all Europe’s most promising younger centre-halves on the San Siro. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, in the meantime, hit double figures from midfield for the primary time because the 2018/19 season below Maurizio Sarri.
Pulisic is reportedly valued at by AC Milan £50 million in the present day. Greater than double the price Chelsea bought him for in 2023.
And amid claims that long-time admirers Liverpool are retaining tabs on Pennsylvania-born 26-year-old as soon as once more, might Chelsea be in for a repeat of that Mo Salah scenario?
“I believe it’s a bit 50/50,” former Liverpool ace Steve Nicol says when requested if Pulisic would signify a threat for Arne Slot’s facet. “What he’s carried out in Italy, in the event you took away what occurred at Chelsea I’d be far more constructive about it.
“However the truth that he didn’t lower it at Chelsea makes it a wee little bit of a chance. For those who’re Liverpool, you don’t must be playing, particularly as you’ve gotten sufficient gamers to cowl you going forwards.
“I’m actually 50/50 on it.”
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