Pulisic’s “unfair” Thomas Tuchel treatment, U-turns and Jurgen Klopp comments

When Thomas Tuchel arrived as Chelsea manager, all eyes were on Christian Pulisic.

The American ace worked with Tuchel at Borussia Dortmund, the German handing him his big break in the first-team as a teenage talent.

Pulisic was flooded with questions on his new manager and there was an excitement regarding what his appointment could mean for him.

After a dazzling end to his debut Premier League season, the 22-year-old looked primed to fill the void left by Eden Hazard and emerge as one of the Premier League’s top performers.

Instead, he is yet to start a Premier League game under Tuchel, who has admitted to “unfair” treatment as he instead relies on his qualities as an impact sub.

"It is my responsibility and it is a bit unfair but I know what impact he can have in the last 20 or 30 minutes," Tuchel said about Pulisic on Monday.

"He was a bit unlucky in the last few games. It isn't a lack of trust or quality, it is just that he will have to be patient.”

Patience is what Pulisic must have, but it is not necessarily what Tuchel will be granted.

According to the Daily Mail, other top clubs are on alert after seeing his situation with Manchester United, Liverpool and Bayern Munich all named.

If Pulisic does opt to bide his time at Stamford Bridge, then he can take comfort in the fact he has been here before.

After moving from Dortmund, RB Leipzig coach Jesse Marsch claimed that Lampard was having doubts over his new signing.

Marsch said at the time: “Even Frank Lampard, when I spoke to him in preseason a year ago now, I was talking to him about having Christian Pulisic and he was kind of like, ‘Yeah, he’s got a lot to learn so we’ll see how he does’.”

Lampard issued a strong denial of those comments and claimed: ”He has recounted the conversation wrong and I have to put it correct.”

“Christian has that desire and talent also so it was never in doubt for me,” he added. "I'm not jumping on Jesse but as a manager I never doubted Christian and it's important for me to put that straight.”

Despite Lampard’s denial, it clearly took some time for the American to adjust and fully earn Lampard’s trust.

After being in and out of the team and then struggling with injury, it was only after lockdown that Pulisic emerged as a top class talent.

He ended the Premier League season with four goals and four assists in his last nine appearances, making himself indispensable to Lampard.

If he did have doubts to begin with, the U-turn was now complete and he looked destined to be Chelsea’s star.

After Lampard’s departure, Pulisic finds himself in familiar territory, on the periphery of the side and struggling to find his stride.

He will now aim to cast the same spell on Tuchel and prove that he is a man Chelsea can build their team around.

If he is unable to do that in the coming weeks, or Tuchel decides other options are a better fit, then the 22-year-old will have no shortage of suitors.

Liverpool have been linked with a move as they face the prospect of reshaping their attack after a below-par season.

Like Tuchel, Jurgen Klopp worked with Pulisic at Dortmund and the Chelsea man has remained “grateful” to the Reds boss for handing him his first taste of senior training.

"It’s like I’m going in and I’m just this 16-year-old kid. I was thinking just do my best. I was just so excited and I’m just thankful to Jurgen Klopp that he gave me that opportunity,” Pulisic told the  13&MEpodcast .

"I’ll take that with me forever and I’m really grateful.”

When Pulisic completed a deal with Chelsea before returning on loan to Dortmund, Klopp declared the Premier League was set to add “another really skilled boy”.

"Another really good player for Chelsea.,” he added. “I have known him for a while and followed him closely but it's a good deal for Dortmund because they can keep him until the end of the season and good signing for Chelsea.”

Klopp, like most managers, would almost certainly jump at the chance to add Pulisic to his ranks if his Chelsea situation soured.

Whilst his current situation is not as he envisioned it, the American still has the world at his feet.

Whether his future lies at Chelsea or elsewhere depends largely on Thomas Tuchel and his vision for a player who remains one of the Premier League’s most exciting talents.