'Still not THE man for AC Milan' - USMNT's Christian Pulisic told he's 'not Jude Bellingham' despite good season with Rossoneri after Chelsea switch

Pulisic has scored seven goals and bagged six assists for Milan since his £17 million ($22m) transfer to the Italian giants from Chelsea last summer. While the 25-year-old has been a regular for the Rossoneri this season, former West Ham star Nigel Reo-Coker thinks he needs to up his game in Stefano Pioli's side and be the key figure for them, just as Bellingham is at Madrid.

Reo-Coker said on CBS Sports Golazo: "It's good to see him enjoying his football but I want Pulisic to have that edge about him, he needs to take that next level and embrace the pressure, and the limelight. I still don't think he is doing it. I don't think he's gone there to say, 'This Milan team is me, I am one of the key players for Milan'. I think he is having a great season but I wouldn't say he is the man for AC Milan. That is what he needs to do because that is what he has to compete against for the top of the young players we talk about in world football."

While pundit Nico Cantor was more positive about Pulisic's season, he felt comparisons with Bellingham, who had a bigger impact at Dortmund than the American from a young age, were unfair.

"But we are not comparing Pulisic to one of the best players in the world right now. Jude Bellingham is just a whole different category of player. This is Pulisic, not a potential next Ballon d'Or winner, you can't expect him to do Jude Bellingham things if he is not Jude Bellingham," he said.

Pulisic is an important player for Milan but Bellingham is breaking records with Los Blancos following his £89million ($113m) move from Dortmund in 2023. Last year, the 20-year-old won theKopa Trophy and Golden Boy award and has scored 20 goals and bagged eight assists in just 29 games. Therefore, comparisons between the two appear to be wide of the mark, even if Pulisic could perhaps do more at Milan.

Pulisic is set to be in action for Milan, who sit third in Serie A behind Juventus and bitter rivals Inter, away to Monza on Sunday but Bellingham may miss Madrid's trip to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on the same day due to an ankle injury.