This afternoon, it was reported that Premier League clubs are circling around Milan with an interest in Christian Pulisic. However, is there anything to worry about?
There has been a lot said about Pulisic in the last 12 months. Around this time last year, the American opted to put a hold on his renewal, despite things being on the verge of an agreement, due to the lack of clarity surrounding the club.
Ultimately, he was in the middle of one of the finest seasons of his career, and without a clear footballing plan in place, why should he secure his long-term future? So, reluctantly, Milan moved to focusing on other situations.
Of course, Mike Maignan’s future took priority, given his deal was up this summer, but his renewal is now complete, which moves Pulisic back to the front.
Why Maignan first?
Renewing Maignan’s deal first made sense for several reasons. Firstly, it secures the captain’s place in the team, and the deadline was shorter. However, it also shows that there is enough to convince a seemingly outbound player to stay.
His extended belief in the Rossoneri represents the fact that the project in the future is worth a world-class goalkeeper’s prime, and this plays a substantial part. Had Maignan been replaced with a lower-quality choice, the fallout would have been felt in other renewals.
Pulisic’s situation
There seems to have been an element of understanding from the American with this. Even still, he is reported to have been left a little concerned over the lack of a concrete proposal in recent months, with him expecting a new offer in the past few months.
Of course, other renewals have also been worked on in the background too, Fikayo Tomori’s situation looks strong, whilst Davide Bartesaghi’s renewal seems to be a case of when. So, these frustrations can be understood.
When it comes to someone as important as Pulisic, though, a great deal of care needs to be had. Which explains why the Rossoneri have been reluctant to push through multiple key renewals in one period of time.
A reason to stay calm
The Diavolo, as we know, are still very clear on the situation. They want to continue working with the American. He is enjoying a fantastic season, even factoring in those injuries, and with the American influence at the club only growing stronger thanks to RedBird’s refinancing, he will likely remain a key face moving forward.
His frustrations are understandable, of course, everyone wants clarification in situations regarding their future. However, this is not a case of decisions changing. Instead, it is just ensuring that the timing is right, and it could be soon.
Let’s just get this done and over with. With Mike signing it sends some signal of where the project is heading. With possible UCL involvement next season Milan will need it’s best players around. And i dont think Allegri will allow the team to be dismantled again by selling off its crown jewels…
I have a sneaking suspicion that this is Leao’s final season with Milan. While this club has shown little discipline in their player renewals, I think it is well settled that the right moment to decide when to hold or to fold is when there are two years remaining on contract. Of course, with Mike that totally went out the window. Pulisic’s contract is technically up in 2027, but the club has an option for another year, so that would be 2028, and thus a renewal this summer meets the two-year criteria.
While we’ve been hearing a lot about Mike and Pulisic’s renewals, we’ve heard almost nothing about Leao’s. His contract is also up in 2028, meaning this summer is the two-year “deadline” for either renewal or a sale. Given that we’re in need of a top no. 9 and that the squad is being built for 3-5-2, the possibility that Leao is sold to generated the funds needed to bring in said top no. 9, another top midfielder and other depth reinforcements, as well as to bring balance to the formation, is very high.
Of course, this could simply be Redbird being Redbird, and waiting until the middle of next season to begin negotiations, while income from current loans becoming sales and fresh funds from CL qualification could be enough to fund the summer plans without having to make a major sale. But his ownership has sold a major piece in practically every summer. Given that Mike just renewed, that Pulisic is on course for renewal, that Rabiot just arrived and doesn’t seem to have the type of juicy valuation that would make flipping him attractive, and that nobody else outside of these players would represent a major return currently, all signs point to Leao being the “sacrifice”. Stay tuned.
That would actually be the smart move. Get something for Leao while you still can. The promise of Leao ever realizing his full potential is gone. In fact I would say he has regressed slightly in the last 2 seasons. He is a player who is totally reliant on speed and that is going to start declining in the next couple seasons if it hasn’t already.
Not to mention if Allegri sticks around and continues with this formation it doesn’t really suit Leao’s strengths, and if they sign a striker that means only one of Pulisic or Leao will be starting and neither one of them will be happy with not starting.
Ya logically it would seem that leao is out.
“the possibility that Leao is sold to generated the funds needed to bring in said top no. 9, another top midfielder and other depth reinforcements, ”
How much do you think you are getting for Leao that you can have the funds for all that?
60-70M. We’ll also have CL qualification money, as well as money from the permanent transfers of players currently out on loan who are triggering clauses. I think so if they got 60-70M from Leao, let’s say 50M from CL qualification, and 50-60M from loans becoming permanent, we’re talking about a war chest of potentially in the realm of at least 160M. That said, the value/cost of “top no. 9, another top midfielder and other depth reinforcements” is all subjective. Leao sale or no Leao sale, Milan isn’t going out and getting a 100M striker, even with the aforementioned 160M in the bank. Let’s assume a 50M striker, a 40M midfielder, 18-20M for Gila (as is being said), and that leaves about 50M that perhaps can go to another fullback and then the rest in the bank. We don’t have to use every single Euro in the summer. They can hold on to some reserve in case they need to dip into the market in January 2027, or just bank it to shore up the accounts.
Another thing going against a Leao renewal, and perhaps this is the most important element that I somehow left out of my original post, is his salary. The club has a cap of around 7-8M per year. Leao is already there. Puli is at 5M. There is scope to give Puli a raise and extend, there is no scope to give Leao a raise and extend. So unless Leao is happy to sign a new five year contract at the same rate (and I’m willing to be he isn’t), then that basically is enough to seal his exist even without the rest of the reasons I gave.
I think ACM (or this site) are blowing smoke putting out that Pulisic is on track to resign. We keep hearing it… and hearing it. Leão and even Nkunki are more Allegri type players than Pulisic. Allegri loves Leão. He even plays him when he is limping around. Pulisic will leave and then you have Leão and Nkunko for the final spot.
I don’t know what people are watching.
No player in the current Milan looks better under Allegri than Pulisic.
This was the best season of Pulisic career until he got injured on international duty and then injured couple more times.
Leao doesn’t look like Allegri player at all, while Allegri himself publicly said that he doesn’t know how he would use Nkunku, but somehow 3 months later, Leao and Nkunku are Allegri type players while the most productive player (Pulisic) under Allegri is not Allegri’s type of a player.
Pulisic has only played a 1000 minutes this season, less than Leao and Nkunku, and only about 200 more minutes than Gimenez who hasn’t played in like 3 months. Still the most productive.
So, please explain, how is Pulisic not Allegri type players but Leao, who has been Milan worst forward this season under Allegri, don’t let the numbers fool you, or Nkunku, are Allegri type players?
Pulisic had played more earlier because of injuries. He is not a player that sits in the box or is going to head the ball. He is better attacking from the wings and either with an overlapping wingback or having the wingback invert. If Leao is the worse forward, why does Allegri play him when he is limping around the field? Pulisic has gotten goals because of grita and crashing the box, not because he is playing in his preferred manner. The next games will tell who is right. I think you’re going to see less of Pulisic starting and him used more as a sub if at all. Of note is that the English papers indicate that there are no planned renewal meetings planned.
If he is used as a sub or not at all, he will leave for sure.
The most unfortunate thing is that BOTH Leao and Pulisic should be on the field. They’re BOTH great players if used correctly. Leao out on the wing, beating his man and crossing or cutting in for the shot, Pulisic playing a little more inside and closer to the forward or “crashing the box”. They should both be on the field in a 4-3-3. For better of for worse, we have Max Catenaccio on the bench, who will only play with two forwards. In that case, I don’t see how Pulisic wouldn’t be the preferred option next to a no. 9. Pulisic is a player who plays best when he’s close to another player, and can play one-twos, make little runs, be on hand for rebounds, etc. He’s played as a trequartista before, unlike Leao. Pulisic is much more suited to the second/supporting striker role.
Why does Allegri play Leao when he’s “limping around”? Quite possibly because Pulisic is in worse condition. Pulisic didn’t even make the bench last match. I don’t think the next games will tell who is right at all, because neither player is 100%, and I have a bad feeling that neither is going to be 100% for a bit, if at all this season. This isn’t an indictment of Leao, like I said, they should both be on the pitch, but given how they play, I just can’t see Leao as a second striker in the long run.
Pulisic played more earlier because he was healthy and Milan’s best player. Go rematch the games when Pulisic was healthy under Allegri. He was the best player in the league.
What does sitting in the box have to do with Pulisic role under Allegri? Pulisic is playing as a free roaming 2nd striker and he looked great in that role. Pulisic absolutely is not better attacking from the wings. He is not a true winger. You are confusing him with Leao.
Pulisic last 2 seasons from the wings had 11 and 12 goals in serie A including penalties. This season not playing from the wings has 8 without penalties, and he has barely played because of injuries. What are we talking about here?
Allegri plays Leao because he is the “healthiest” of the forwards he has available not because he is Allegri type of a player. This is Leao’s worst season of his Milan career. Take away the penalties and you barely get anything from Leao production wise and outside of that he does nothing on the pitch. Even in games where he scored he was the worst rated player on the pitch.
“Pulisic has gotten goals because of grita and crashing the box, not because he is playing in his preferred manner. ”
You literally just described an Allegri type of a player. 🤣🤣🤣
Watch the games. No forward this season under Allegri has looked better than Pulisic.
Pulisic certainly is a winger. He cuts in or takes the sidelines. He is more conservative then Leão as he only takes what the defense gives him when he’s wide. How many times does Leão lose the ball with his move of pushing the ball down the sidelines? During his first two seasons in which he lead the team in g/a he was a classic winger. He just does make every move a push down the sidelines. Allegri takes away play on the sidelines with how he uses his wing backs. I think this hurts Leão too who use to benefit from Theo making inverted runs.
” If Leao is the worse forward, why does Allegri play him when he is limping around the field?”
Why was Pirlo a bench-player in Milan during his last season? It’s not always “the best players play. period.”
There is still time and a renewal can be revisited after the World Cup. I think Pulisic’s concerns are more to do with Allegri’s ideas for him going forward after the summer window. He makes a good second striker but we already Leão that is refining his skill set to fit that role. Given we are looking to recruit a top 9 (Dusan or Kean) it appears either Pulisic or Leão should leave if they want to be in a starting 11 in Allegri’s 352.
sadly, I think you are right. Leao and Pulisic are excellent attacking on the wings and Allegri just doesn’t do that.
or box-crasher Pulisic… he has grita and enough technique to pull it off
After the WC will be too late. Especially, if he has a good WC. I don’t see him at either Arsenal or Tottenham, but more likely Man Utd. He’d be a good fit at Aston Villa, but they won’t pay 45-50 ml for him.