When Chelsea initially agreed to sign Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund for a £58 million ($74m) fee in January 2019, anticipation was high. Former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia described him as "one of the most sought after talents in Europe" after the deal was announced, and outlined the club's vision for his future.
"At just 20, we believe he has the potential to become an important Chelsea player for many years to come," she said. Four years on, Pulisic has still yet to live up to that billing - and his time in west London is now almost certainly up.
AC Milan appears to be the forward's most likely next destination, as the Italian giants have tabled two offers for his services at the start of the summer window. Chelsea rejected their latest £19m ($25m) bid, but it is expected that a compromise will be reached in the coming days.
Pulisic has already agreed personal terms with Milan, where he is set to reunite with former Chelsea team-mates Fikayo Tomori, Olivier Giroud and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. And Serie A could be the ideal place for him to reignite his career.
The Italian top-flight is less demanding than the Premier League, and Pulisic should have a far easier time getting regular minutes for the Rossoneri than he has at Chelsea. It would certainly make no sense for new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino to try and keep hold of him.
Pulisic failed to deliver under Frank Lampard, Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, despite being given plenty of opportunities. Some players just aren't cut out for life at one of the top clubs in English football. But what exactly went wrong for the U.S. superstar at Chelsea? GOAL take a look below...
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