Christian Pulisic joined Chelsea with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Swapping the Signal Iduna Park for Stamford Bridge in 2020, he brought a ticket into a growing market of interest.
The then 20-year-old starlet arrived the summer that Chelsea legend Eden Hazard made way and, despite denying a passing of the torch, Pulisic took the number ten. The USMNT captain touched down in west London as someone who was very marketable and would unlock the Blues some pin money overseas, but his status was and still is, purely a bonus, not an incentive.
Pulisic, who Lionel Messi gave the stamp of approval after just a year at Chelsea, has shown glimpses of excellence, but a series of injuries have hampered his ability to fulfil the expectations that a £57.6m price tag warrants. He's a very talented individual but being the 'main man' across the Atlantic is a different kettle of fish compared to being the focal point of the USMNT.
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However, despite the blurred lines, the 23-year-old can still be regarded as one of the Premier League's leading wingers and a huge asset in Thomas Tuchel's effort to challenge for silverware. But, as the west Londoners take in bids for a takeover, Pulisic's marketable profile seemingly exceeded his ability on the pitch through no means of his own wrongdoing.
Chelsea's number ten, who in jest is often referred to as Marvel superhero Captain America, is the only player to have been named checked in the world champions' industry brochure, which was handed to prospective bidders, according to the Daily Mail. The report claims that said handout included the profit margins reaped from a stadium expansion, the possibility of buying Fulham Broadway shopping centre and even naming rights deal to Stamford Bridge.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the most followed individual on Instagram, warrants his publicity - it goes hand in hand, whereas Pulisic's worth off the pitch is not correlative to his ability on the pitch, though again, no fault of his own. This is a major problem for Chelsea because it will attract the wrong personality and vision to the club.
If Pulisic's inclusion in the industry brochure, which was handed out to prospective bidders, was for saleable reasons - somebody who could be sold for a large windfall - then he warrants his spotlight. However, six players, who have a combined value of £360m, in the Chelsea squad are worth more than the American £40.5m, which uncovers a sad reality, as per Transfermarkt.
The winger has become a selling point that will attract profits rather than a hunger for unprecedented success, and this should be a major concern.
