Gregg Berhalter believes Christian Pulisic could benefit from Thomas Tuchel sacking
By Chris Smith
United States Men's National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter believes the sacking of Thomas Tuchel as Chelsea manager could be a positive for Christian Pulisic.
The 23-year-old winger was heavily linked with an exit from Stamford Bridge during the summer having struggled for regular starts over the last couple of years.
However, as revealed by 90min, Chelsea were reluctant to accept loan bids for Pulisic, while they remain aware of the player's quality despite his lack of playing time and injury struggles.
90min also reported that Pulisic was among a number of attacking players at Chelsea unhappy with Tuchel's methods and communication.
With that in mind, it's easy to see why the German's departure and subsequent replacement by Graham Potter would leave Pulisic feeling more optimistic about his future prospects. And it is a feeling shared by USMNT boss Berhalter, who will be keen to see his star player hit some form ahead of the 2022 World Cup this winter.
“I’m not happy a guy lost his job. But if this means more opportunity for Christian, then it’s positive because he’s a guy that’s proven that he can perform at that level. We’ll just have to wait and see," Berhalter said during the week.
Pulisic has started just one Premier League game this season, appearing five times from the bench, while he only managed 16 minutes as a substitute as the Blues lost 1-0 away at Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
Despite his club form, Pulisic has remained a consistent performer at international level, notching 21 goals and 12 assists in 51 caps for the USMNT, helping them lift the Concacaf Nations League in the summer of 2021.
Watch the story of Charlotte FC's journey to MLS in 90min's The Making of Charlotte FC, presented by DoorDash, on 90min channels now. Subscribe to our new US YouTube channel.