Christian Pulisic could have a future as AC Milan’s No.10 rather than as a winger with Paulo Fonseca looking to make his mark on the team and Rafael Leao preferring the American in that role.
There was a chance that Milan would play with a 4-3-3 under Fonseca but the signs in pre-season suggest that it will be a 4-2-3-1 like last season under Stefano Pioli and in that system, the No.10 role has belonged to Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Against Real Madrid on Wednesday night, Loftus-Cheek played in a deeper role alongside Ismael Bennacer and it was Pulisic who played as the 10, with Samuel Chukwueze shining in his role on the right wing.
Clearly, the coach would like to get Chukwueze and Pulisic into his starting eleven but the form of Loftus-Cheek last season means that he also warrants a place in the team. With new signings still expected to arrive, it is a developing situation but Pulisic as the central attacking midfielder seems to have more legs than it did before.
Rafael Leao recently said to ESPN (via Milan News) that, whilst he is not the coach, he prefers Pulisic when he is able to run through the middle of the pitch.
“I am not a coach, but I prefer Christian when he plays as number 10. From the centre he has the possibility of occupying space both on the left and on the right. I think he can be very dangerous in that position, but in general he does very well both as an attacking midfielder and on the right. As a 10 he would give me some assists, we could play fast, with one-twos or with a touch in the middle of the pitch… he can do everything,” Leao said.