Christian Pulisic will return for Chelsea when the Premier League restarts on June 17th. After suffering from an adductor injury at the start of 2020, the USMNT star will have benefitted greatly from the break.
Christian Pulisic did something no American player has ever done last year: not only did he smash the American transfer record with his $73 million move to Chelsea; more subtlety and yet more crucially, he was bought to be the centrepiece of a Champions League team’s attack. He is now playing at a level and with an expectation that far exceeds any U.S. Men’s National Team player before him.
Pulisic enjoyed a positive first season at Chelsea. While he was not always a regular starter, having to slowly work his way into the first team, by the time the first half of the year was over, it was clear that he was one of Chelsea’s premier offensive players, especially with Eden Hazard departing in the summer.
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So far this season, per FBREF, Pulisic is second in shot-creating actions per 90 minutes among Chelsea players and third in goal-creating actions. He is second in expected assists per 90, second in expected goals per 90, second in shots per 90, and first in shots on target per 90. He also ranks first in touches in the penalty area per 90, first in successful dribbles per 90, and third in progressive distance travelled with the ball per 90.
These statistics show just how active and important Pulisic was to Chelsea’s attacking play, especially early in the season. In his first nine league appearances, he had five goals and two assists. Three of those nine appearances came off the bench, too.
However, Pulisic suffered a curious adductor issue in the winter and has barely played since. In fact, bar 65 minutes on New Year’s Day, he has not made an appearance in 2020 entirely. For all of the positive performances earlier in the season, thanks to problems beyond his control, Pulisic was not able to see through his campaign through.
Then he was handed a lifeline. Just as he started to return to training, the coronavirus outbreak saw the Premier League suspended. No match has been played since March 8th. It was announced on Thursday that the Premier League will now return on June 17th, more than three months later.
That gave Pulisic time to get fit and recover. Like many other players who might have missed the entire remainder of the season or would have had to work their way back to full fitness while matches were being played, Pulisic has benefitted from the delay in play. Now he is at full fitness, relatively speaking, and he has nine league games to continue laying the foundation of what has been an encouraging first season.
In fact, Pulisic said as much to Chelsea’s official website earlier this month:
"“If anything, I’ve given myself a little more time to rest now and make sure that I’m 100 per cent fit. I’d say I’m fully recovered and ready to go as soon as we get back.”"
Pulisic is raring to return. And with the Premier League now having set a date, USMNT fans do not have much longer to wait to watch a player who is making history for American players everywhere.