Liverpool have identified Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic as a potential replacement for Sadio Mane, as per Christian Falk.
Sadio Mane, 30, has refused to pen down a new deal with the Reds and he will be sold this summer. That is if any suitable bids arrive for the Senegalese. Mane has made 269 appearances for the Kop and has scored 120 goals in the process. He has also managed to accumulate 48 assists in the process.
With only one year left in his current deal, he has been linked heavily with a move to Bayern Munich. Moreover, the 30-year-old has confirmed that he is looking to leave the club before the start of next term.
With that said, Falk has reported that Pulisic is on the radar of Liverpool. The 23-year-old USMNT star is considered a prospect. His current contract though expires in 2024.
The Blues landed Pulisic in 2019 for a fee of £57.4 million from Borussia Dortmund. That fee also made Pulisic the most-expensive North American footballer of all time.
Since then, he has made 115 appearances for Chelsea and has accumulated a G/A of 44. This season he managed to make only 24 starts and he could look to seek pastures new after a relatively underwhelming time at Stamford Bridge.
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There is no doubt that under a suitable setup Pulisic will flourish. The 23-year-old is an agile and a pacy winger who can slot right into Jurgen Klopp’s high-intensity system. He can also play as a striker, adding versatility to his resume.
This past season saw Klopp use Mane as a striker on more than a few occasions. With Luis Diaz coming into his own groove nicely, Pulisic can offer a great amount of attacking depth to Liverpool.
But, with Romelu Lukaku being linked with a move back to Inter, it is highly unlikely that Thomas Tuchel will want to part ways with Pulisic as well. If Lukaku does end up leaving, the Blues could well end up giving a full season to Pulisic as the first-choice striker. This may end up being true because their major focus will be on landing at least two defenders and a midfielder. Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and Cesar Azpilizueta are all said to be on their way to La Liga. In fact, Rudiger is now a Real Madrid player.
Liverpool will have to shell out a massive sum for the 23-year-old as they are one of the direct rivals of the Blues.
Do you think Pulisic will continue at Chelsea?