Chelsea star Christian Pulisic willing to reduce his salary in bid to move to European giants - Reports
Chelsea's Christian Pulisic is reportedly open to reducing his salary in a bid to join AC Milan this summer.
According to Gazzetta.it, the USA international earns €5 million at Stamford Bridge, with his contract expiring in June 2024. He is currently rated at over €25 million and has been struggling for playing time for the west London giants.
Pulisic mustered just 813 minutes of first-team action in the Premier League this season. Moreover, with the arrivals of Noni Madueke and Mykhaylo Mudryk in January, his place in Chelsea's XI is under threat in the long run.
The 24-year-old still has a lot of his years ahead of him to unfurl his full potential. AC Milan could offer him a leading role in their team on the opposite flank to Rafael Leao.
They will be looking to build on the last two seasons, where they won the Scudetto and finished in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League in the following campaign. They also have a void to fill in the attacking third given Brahim Diaz's return to Real Madrid from his loan spell.
AC Milan, in a powerful show of their ambitions, recently tied down Leao to a new contract which lasts until the summer of 2028. Adding Pulisic, whose dribbling and pace mirrors that of the Portuguese winger, could provide further venom to I Rossoneri's frontline.
The Pennsylvania-born forward cost Chelsea €64 million in transfer fees in January 2019, which still stands as the record amount paid for an American footballer.
Pundit urges Chelsea's Christian Pulisic to join Newcastle United
According to a report by ESPN last month, Juventus, Newcastle United, Napoli, AC Milan and Galatasaray have all been made aware of Christian Pulisic's situation at Chelsea.
The 24-year-old is said to be high on the list of possible exits at Stamford Bridge this summer. Amid this, former Newcastle goalkeeper Shaka Hislop has urged him to join the Magpies if the chance arises.
Hislop told ESPN, via the Chelsea Chronicle:
"I think he’d get the management he needs at Newcastle United. Listen, if Newcastle come in for Christian Pulisic, if I have anything to do with advising him, I’m telling him take it...
He added:
"...Eddie Howe likes utilizing that pace. I would have him. I think he fits how Eddie Howe likes to play. He does not bring the kind of ego and will allow himself to be coached, to learn under Eddie Howe."
Newcastle seem to be a team on the rise. After being taken over by the uber-rich Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) in October 2021, they have qualified for the UEFA Champions League for the 2023-24 season.