‘If Christian Pulisic was Dutch or Italian, he’d still be at Chelsea’ – USMNT stars in England have to be ‘good every day’, says ex-Man Utd & Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard

United States international Pulisic spent four years on the books at Chelsea having joined them from German giants Borussia Dortmund in 2019. He became a Champions League winner with the Blues, but moved on over the summer after finding regular playing time and peak form hard to come by. He is now at Serie A heavyweights AC Milan, with Howard claiming that American players are still treated differently in the Premier League.

Former Manchester United and Everton goalkeeper Howard has told the Offside with Taylor Twellman podcast: “For as much as people want to say that the landscape has changed for Americans, it has not. I think Christian Pulisic did a brilliant job. When he was called upon in that Chelsea team, if he was Dutch or Italian or anything else, he’d still be in the team, he wouldn’t be the first one pulled off the pitch, he wouldn’t be a substitute. He’s that good, he’s showing that at Milan now, so as an American it’s tough. You have to do it every day.”

That message has been sent in the direction of USMNT keeper Matt Turner, who is now at Nottingham Forest after leaving Arsenal, as well as Manchester City custodian Zack Steffen. Howard added on the battle to fill No.1 duties for the United States: “Zack Steffen, for me, when I look physically what he is as a goalkeeper – man, that kid has it all. He has more athleticism and a better body than anybody that has stepped in and won the U.S. shirt in the history of U.S. goalkeeping – I think he is that physically gifted. Can he put it all together? At the moment he is dealing with injuries and stuff, but ultimately if he becomes a hot hand at some point then he can challenge Matt. He has had a very similar journey to me – he has gone over from Major League Soccer, gone to a huge club, didn’t play a tonne and then moved on. When I moved on, I cemented myself 10 years at Everton and I think he can do that at Forest. It’s not easy because, here’s the elephant in the room, if you’re at American and you are playing in the Premier League, you had better be good every day – not for a year, not for a game.”

Ethan Horvath is another American keeper in England, although he has been left out of Forest’s Premier League squad for 2023-24. Tyler Adams has completed a transfer to Bournemouth, but international team-mate Weston McKennie returned to Juventus at the end of his loan spell at Leeds. Brenden Aaronson is now on loan at Union Berlin after suffering relegation in his debut campaign at Elland Road.