03 July 2023 , 14:44
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The highest bid Chelsea have received for Christian Pulisic came from Lyon, but the United States men's national team star does not want to sign off on a move to the French club. Instead, he prefers to play for AC Milan, who offered less money to the Blues.
According to ESPN, AC Milan's first bid for Pulisic was about £12.9m (€15m), significantly less than Chelsea's reported asking price of £21m (€25m). Lyon's offer is said to have been closer to what the Blues desire.
Pulisic, though, has reportedly agreed personal terms with AC Milan. His heart seems set on the Italian club and the Champions League football they offer.
While AC Milan are expected to make a better bid soon, they have gained leverage in negotiations with Pulisic pressuring Chelsea to sanction a transfer to San Siro. Mauricio Pochettino's club must balance the need to maximise transfer fees for outgoings with a desire to do right by players.
Chelsea appear ready to sell Pulisic no matter what this summer. After spending exorbitant amounts of money in recent transfer windows for players such as Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk and Christopher Nkunku, they want to raise funds by selling off fringe members of the squad.
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Once a key piece of the Blues' attack, they largely iced Pulisic out of proceedings in 2022-23, sending a clear signal to the American that they didn't want him anymore. The winger made just eight starts all season, though injuries did contribute to his lack of time on the pitch.
Christian Pulisic led a lonely existence late in Chelsea's season, unable to crack a line-up that finished 12th in the Premier League. (AMA/Getty Images)In any case, Pulisic will now prioritise a place where his value is fully appreciated. The former Borussia Dortmund prospect is drawing abundant interest.
"It's absolutely a time where I need to figure out what's going to be best for my future and be somewhere where I can go and play and be trusted and feel good in what I'm doing," he told ESPN. "I want to find that joy at a club level again, for sure."
If Pulisic does succeed in his push to join AC Milan, he would follow the path of several active USMNT players. International team-mate Timothy Weah recently announced a transfer to Juventus, while Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest have also played in Italy.
Pulisic boasts more Champions League success than any one of the current generation of American stars in Europe. The 24-year-old won the competition in 2020-21 after netting against Real Madrid in the last four.
AC Milan made the Champions League semi-final this past campaign and are qualified for the tournament's next edition. Assuming they convince superstar forward Rafael Leao to stay for at least one more season, they'll possess plenty of firepower up front for Pulisic to work with. The Blues have long been linked with Leao, but he signed a new contract in the spring, re-committing to the AC Milan cause despite interest from other leagues.
Last month, Pulisic focused his energy on USMNT duties, participating in the CONCACAF Nations League. Now, it's time to determine his club destiny.