Christian Pulisic linked with Napoli swap deal, Juventus – Reports
Christian Pulisic has been linked with a swap deal as he could be heading to Napoli with Victor Osimhen heading to Chelsea, while Juventus are reportedly interested.
That is according to transfer guru Ekrem Konur, while the Daily Mail also has a similar report as they follow Konur in saying Juventus are keen on signing Pulisic.
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Per the initial report, Pulisic has been offered to Napoli as part of a deal to sign the leading goalscorer in Serie A, Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian forward led Napoli to their first league title in 33 years and club president Aurelio de Laurentiis has since said Osimhen is not for sale.
But Chelsea are pushing hard to make Osimhen the focal point of their attack as Todd Boehly and Co. continue to spend money like it is going out of fashion, while Pulisic and other Chelsea players will likely be offered up as part of deals to revamp the Blues squad once again.
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Would a move to Italy be good for Pulisic?
Pulisic, 24, is clearly ready to move on from Chelsea and he has just one year left on his current contract at the west London club so a transfer fee of $20-25 million is a reasonable valuation.
In recent weeks he hasn’t even featured off the bench (he last played almost one month ago) and now seems like the right time for everyone to move on.
Pulisic clearly has options in Italy as he’s been linked with Juventus, AC Milan and now Napoli and when you think about his technical ability and pace, a move to Serie A would perhaps allow him to use his best assets more often than in the Premier League. Napoli would be a great fit for Pulisic given their style of play and Luciano Spaletti has helped winger Khvica Kvaratskhelia flourish this season. But would he, like Hirving Lozano, play every week?
Injuries haven’t helped Pulisic over the last four seasons but he just never seemed like a good fit for Chelsea and so many managerial changes has also curtailed his development. Wherever he goes next he has to be the main man and play week in, week out.
What type of club should he be looking for?
A Champions League club. That is clear. Chelsea won’t be in the Champions League next season and although they are clearly going to spend big to get back there soon, Pulisic needs to be playing for a team in the Champions League to remain at the very top of his game.
He could remain in the Premier League and go to a team fighting for European qualification and a top six spot but is that really what he wants?
Pulisic has shown his class in the Champions League over the years and he is clearly capable of being a star player on a team pushing for the latter stages of the competition.
Whether it is in Italy, Spain or even heading back to Germany, Christian Pulisic needs to move to a team playing in the Champions League and, most importantly, he needs to go somewhere where he will play every week. At this stage of his career that is imperative.
Christian Pulisic linked with Napoli swap deal, Juventus – Reports originally appeared on NBCSports.com
