Chelsea set to beat Liverpool to £70m signing – but there may be a twist

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Chelsea are expected to fend off Premier League competition to seal the services of Christian Pulisic in 2019.

The Borussia Dortmund star has been considered a long-term Liverpool target on the basis of his ties to former manager Jurgen Klopp.

Pulisic was the subject of an unsuccessful £11million bid from the Reds in summer 2016 amid his emergence as one of European football’s most exciting prospects.

Despite staying put, he has since been regularly tipped to make the switch to England ahead of the expiry of his contract in 2020.

Chelsea have now edged ahead in the race to sign him and are keen on striking a deal when the transfer window re-opens in January, according to the Daily Mail.

Their desire to wrap up a move following the turn of the year likely stems from the risk of a transfer ban from FIFA after an investigation into the club’s signing of foreign U18 players.

Maurizio Sarri – image by Liverpoolfc.com

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Pulisic, supposedly valued at £70million, has managed just four starts in the Bundesliga so far this season and has been on the bench for his side’s last four league outings.

Besides missing three games through injury earlier on in the campaign, his limited involvement of late has evidently come down to the form of Jacob Bruun Larsen and English starlet Jadon Sancho.

The 20-year-old looks increasingly unlikely to extend his stay in Germany and recently hinted towards an interest in taking his career to the Premier League.

Despite being once identified as a possible long-term replacement for Philippe Coutinho at Anfield, Pulisic could instead be heading to London.

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