For Christian Pulisic, year two at Chelsea has been a mixed bag, up and down, a roller coaster. Year one was a late blooming, a slow start with a strong, fast finish. Along the way there have been numerous injuries, and some struggles to earn playing time.
Whenever he’s been out of favor, not receiving regular playing time, transfer rumors start flying fast and furious. In an interview with ESPN today, the 22-year-old American took the time to say that he’s currently happy at Stamford Bridge, and in the process of doing so, shut down speculation.
FA Cup Final FYIs
Kickoff: Saturday May 15, Wembley Stadium, 5:15pm GMT
Team News: Chelsea Leicester City
Starting XI Predictions: Chelsea Leicester City
Chelsea FC news and notes: go here
Odds: Chelsea win 4/9 Leicester City win 7/4
“People have always doubted and said: ‘Oh, he’s not playing, does he want to go here, does he want to go there?’ I’m always up for a challenge,” Pulisic responded when asked if he sees his long term future at Stamford Bridge.
“I love competing, I love the position I’m in and I’m enjoying my time here.”
Pulisic who is under contract until June 2024, has four goals and one assist in 17 starts and nine substitute appearances in Premier League play this season. The 22-year-old USMNT star has dismissed the idea that he’s injury prone, as a whole, and lately that he’s certainly been fully match fit.
Pulisic has been fully fit and feeling good, and with that producing results. Of course, he’s still only started 11 of the 26 matches that Chelsea have had since Thomas Tuchel took charge. But on the other hand, this may be the perfect place for him to be right now, at this stage of his career, as the London club is contending for trophies.
Tomorrow marks the first of two cup finals that Chelsea have advanced to this season. Pulisic discussed the challenge that Leicester City will pose in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
“We know what Leicester is all about. They are going to battle, they are a tough team. They’ve done extremely well in the league this year. We know about their attacking ability and some of the players they have.
“So we expect them to come and battle. We are going to give it everything, and hopefully if we play the way we do and we match their intensity, I think we can beat them.”
And two weeks after tomorrow night, Chelsea will face Manchester City in the Champions League final.
Prediction: Chelsea 2, Leicester City 1
The Foxes have reached this stage for the first time in 52 years, but we think it’s going to be Chelsea who add on to the trophy cabinet.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.