“He needs to go somewhere where he needs to be the main man” – Micah Richards offers transfer advice to Chelsea star
Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards recently claimed that Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic needs to leave the club in the summer.
Pulisic was a bit-part player for the Blues last season despite the team having a calamitous campaign. Speaking about the American attacker, Richards recently told CBS Sports (via Daily Mail):
"He needs to go somewhere where he needs to be the main man. When he plays for the US he plays different, he feels like the main man. He's a lot better than he shows and he needs to be more consistent."
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also added to Richards' comments:
"He has to move on now. Twelve months ago was the perfect time. For his own career it would be better if he could move on."
Pulisic made 30 appearances for Chelsea across competitions last season, scoring one goal and providing two assists. The 24-year-old, however, started only 10 of those games.
He joined the Blues from Borussia Dortmund back in 2019 and has since scored 26 goals and provided 21 assists in 145 matches.
Pulisic was a highly touted talent during his time at Dortmund, contributing 19 goals and 26 assists in 127 senior games. Despite showing his quality at the start of his career at Stamford Bridge, however, the American has seen a decline in form in recent seasons.
His current deal with the west London club will expire at the end of the 2023-24 season. Hence, a move away from Chelsea to rejuvenate his career might not be a bad option for him.
Thiago Silva won Chelsea's Player of the Season award
Thiago Silva was one of the few shining lights in what was a below-par campaign for Chelsea. Despite his team finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, Silva kept his usual lofty standards up.
The Brazilian made 35 appearances across competitions, helping the team keep eight clean sheets. Silva reacted to being recognized as the club's Player of the Season, saying (via the Blues' website):
"It's been a hard year, so the recognition fills me with happiness, pride and pleasure for being part of this team. From my first day here, I have been warmly welcomed by Chelsea fans and so my commitment is even greater than before because I know we need to respond to them with better performances on the pitch and give them the response they deserve."
Silva is expected to remain a crucial figure as Mauricio Pochettino takes charge as the new manager. He joined the club from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 and has played 114 games for the club, winning one UEFA Champions League trophy.