Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has advised Christian Pulisic to consider following the example of Timo Werner and leaving Chelsea for a transfer to a club where he might enjoy more regular first-team football.
Pulisic has never quite nailed down a place in the Chelsea team, despite looking a terrific young prospect when he first joined the club from Borussia Dortmund a few years ago.
Werner had a similar experience as his superb form at RB Leipzig earned him a big move to Chelsea, though he ended up struggling and returned to Leipzig this summer.
Carragher now thinks Pulisic might do well to consider doing the same, as he’s just not quite been consistent enough at Stamford Bridge, and might be better off somewhere where he’s going to be given more of a key role.
If not, the USA international could become one of those players who just spends a few years sitting on the bench without really making much of their career, according to Carragher.
“A lot of footballers are different, I do scratch my head when I see certain players at clubs for a long time and they never really get into the team,” Carragher told CBS Sports, as quoted by the Metro.
“And that’s why I think Thierry [Henry] is saying he respects Timo Werner. Rather than just sitting on the bench another year or two he’s gone back to somewhere where he’s going to play week in, week out.
“And I just think Pulisic is sort of at that stage now where there’s been a few managerial changes. It looks like he’s getting more of a chance with Potter, but not just him, I think Graham Potter is a manager who changes it every game so everyone is getting a chance.
“So he may feel like he’s getting more of an opportunity to prove to the manager he can be in that recognised 11.
“But he’s been there a few years now, it hasn’t quite happened for him for whatever reason, and maybe Dortmund is a level down from Chelsea who are a team who are trying to win the Champions League – we know Pulisic was part of that win.
“But eventually you have to make that decision. I don’t think you can continue to be in that position that he’s been in for the last two or three years.’
Asked if Pulisic can turn things around under Graham Potter, Carragher said: “I’ve never questioned Pulisic’s actual ability, some of the things I’ve seen him do, some of the goals I’ve seen him score.
“But it’s consistency and injuries. He’ll get a run in the team then get injured and it gives someone else an opportunity. He never seems to get a [long] run in the team and I think it will be difficult for him [under Potter].
“Maybe his time has come and gone. But we’re in the early stages of Graham Potter so who knows. Fingers crossed he can.”