AC Milan made it clear early in the window that they were determined to sign Christian Pulisic and their interest was reciprocated by the winger.
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According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), Pulisic only wanted Milan when they came knocking and yesterday a deal with Chelsea was finally agreed on the basis of a €20m transfer fee plus some bonuses.
Stefano Pioli is preparing to welcome him to Milanello, preferably for the start of preseason on Monday. However, Pulisic has to land in Italy, undergo medical tests and sign his new contract first.
There is no hurry, and what matters is that the Rossoneri coach has obtained the reinforcement he was asking for, a versatile forward who has a lot of experience in big games at the age of 24 and can play across the forward line.
During his time at Chelsea, Olivier Giroud spoke about the American: “He is a big name in Europe, he would help us. He is that type of player with great skills, with great talent.”
Soon they will be reunited, and Pulisic will be part of the Milan expedition that will play against Real Madrid, Juventus and Barcelona in the second half of July tour as they tour the USA. Perfect timing: captain of the US national team in his own country.
At 24, Pulisic has everything to give his career a jolt, also in view of the next World Cup on home soil. The decisive acceleration came in the early afternoon yesterday, when CEO Giorgio Furlani upped the bid to €20m plus bonuses, albeit with multi-year payments.
The Chelsea management were asking for €25m when Milan offered €16m first of all, but the Rossoneri followed the strategy they used for Ruben Loftus-Cheek and banked on finding a meeting point in the middle.
The excellent relations between the ownerships of the two clubs made it possible to overcome all obstacles, without neglecting the availability of the player who is ready to sign a four-year contract worth around €4m net per season, accepting a substantial cut.
He will enjoy the benefits of the Growth Decree which allows Milan to pay a substantially decreased gross amount, lowering the overall package cost.
Pulisic’s contract with Chelsea was expiring in 2024, with the opportunity thus arising for a high salary thanks to a low-cost transfer fee. In this regard, it should be remembered that in 2019 Borussia Dortmund had sold him to Chelsea for a whopping €64m.
The forward has a desire to be a protagonist again and Milan offers him this important opportunity. Fikayo Tomori also followed a similar path in the past, joining for €29m after an initial loan and rejuvenating his career.
