Why Newcastle loan could be good for Christian Pulisic
If Christian Pulisic wants consistent playing time before the World Cup kicks off in November, then a summer move away from Chelsea F.C. might be his best option.
Yes, Pulisic made appearances in both of Chelsea's first two Premier League matches, but neither was a start, and his most recent outing against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday was for just six minutes. Some of that has to do with the quality of Chelsea's attack — their new American owner, Todd Boehly, just spent £47.5 million on England star Raheem Sterling.
Pulisic's club form also hasn't warranted a spot in Thomas Tuchel's starting XI, at least not over the likes of Kai Havertz or Mason Mount. And therein lies the crux of Pulisic's problems at Chelsea.
Even when he's playing well, he doesn't fit into Tuchel's plans because the German manager prefers to play formations without strikers. It's why Pulisic played as an attacking midfielder and, at times, a wingback last season.
So if Chelsea can't offer Pulisic the playing time he needs and the position he's best at, who can? Newcastle United, according to reports from The Athletic and The Telegraph.
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USMNT midfielder Christian Pulisic was lightly featured with Chelsea over the weekend while rumors swirled about a transfer to Newcastle.
Newcastle haven't had a top-five finish in the Premier League since the 2011-12 season, but with a new Saudi-backed ownership group, the club is expected to be in the fight for top-flight European soccer once again. Through two games this season, they're 1-1-0 and ranked fifth in the Premier League.
Alexi Lalas and David Mosse discussed Pulisic's link to Newcastle on the most recent episode of "State of the Union," and while Lalas doesn't think Pulisic needs to leave Chelsea, he believes Newcastle would be a nice landing spot for the 23-year-old American.
"If he's going to go, with what Newcastle is and what Newcastle is aiming to be, I actually think that's a pretty good move," the former USMNT defender said. "I think that would be really, really interesting in that rising of the once great Newcastle with incredible new money and new ownership behind.
"Is it an upgrade for Christian Pulisic? It's such a unique situation that it would be if he's playing, and he's playing more consistently and getting starts, which I think he would, but I don't know."
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe plays a 4-3-3, so upon arrival, Pulisic would already be in a better position than he is at Chelsea currently. He also has a better shot of competing with Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almirón for their spots in the starting XI.
It would come at the cost of Champions League soccer, but if it's only a loan deal, he could always go back to Chelsea next season, like Conor Gallagher did after this breakout season with Crystal Palace. In the short term, the most important thing for Pulisic is to get reps for the World Cup.
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