Christian Pulisic linked with Manchester United, Newcastle; Juve, Atleti, Milan interested

USMNT star Christian Pulisic is now the target of a potential loan move to Manchester United, according to Andy Mitten.

Over the last 24 hours the 23-year-old was also subject to an approach from Newcastle United, according to a report in The Athletic.

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First up, let’s tackle the new Manchester United report. It is believed they also want to sign Pulisic on loan and the player is up for it. Our minds straight away go back to the photo of him stood outside Old Trafford with a United shirt on back in the day.

Per the Newcastle report, Pulisic is one of several targets Newcastle are looking at to bolster their attack between now and the end of the summer transfer window on Sept. 1. They have asked if he is available on loan, along with the likes of Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The Daily Mail has issued a report claiming that Newcastle’s interest is real but that the Magpies will have to fend off loan interest from Atletico Madrid and Serie A pair Juventus and AC Milan, all three of whom can offer Champions League football.

Christian Pulisic has been a substitute for Chelsea’s opening two Premier League games of the season, coming on in the 85th minute of their draw with Tottenham. That follows reports from the Guardian that Thomas Tuchel ‘doesn’t trust’ Pulisic.

The USMNT star has previously said he is happy to stay at Chelsea and fight for his spot but with Raheem Sterling coming in this summer as Chelsea’s big-money arrival in attack, plus Mason Mount and Kai Havertz ahead of him in the pecking order and maybe even Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Anthony Gordon arriving at Stamford Bridge too, it appears Pulisic’s minutes could diminish drastically this season.

Is Newcastle a good move for the USMNT star?

This move would provide Pulisic with the one thing every player wants: minutes.

Another report from The Telegraph states that Newcastle have enquired about Pulisic, while it is believed their hierarchy were at Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Tottenham on Sunday and were keen to discuss potential deals for some of the players on the fringe of Chelsea’s starting lineup.

Newcastle are set up to play with fast wingers on the counter and Eddie Howe’s style of play demands a lot of attention on his wingers. That is good news for Pulisic who has never really fit into Thomas Tuchel’s 3-4-2-1 system at Chelsea which is designed for wide players to cut inside.

Pulisic would battle with Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron, Jacob Murphy and Matt Ritchie for minutes, but he should fancy his chances of starting most games. Ahead of the World Cup in November, Pulisic needs to play more regularly than 10-15 minutes off the bench. That is what he’s probably going to get at Chelsea in the Premier League.

With Newcastle set to push for a top eight finish as a club on the rise under Howe’s stewardship, this wouldn’t be a bad move for Pulisic for a season.

Would Chelsea really loan Pulisic to Manchester United?

Even if Pulisic wants to move to Manchester United and they are keen to do a loan deal, will Chelsea really loan a player to one of their top four rivals.

Stop laughing. Manchester United are still a top six club, even if they aren’t playing like one at the start of this season, so it’s tough to see Chelsea potentially strengthening a rival. It could happen though and tactically Pulisic would give United pace on the counter but would he suit the possession-based style under Erik ten Hag? It remains to be seen but he clearly has options.

Long-term he will have to figure things out but if he wants to stay in the Premier League, and play for a team in the Champions League, but he’s probably not going to get many better offers than Newcastle and Manchester United in the final two weeks of the summer window.

The key is now whether or not he wants the move, whether or not Chelsea want to keep him as a good back-up option and whether or not other teams will now try and sneak in given Newcastle’s reported interest.

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