Exclusive: Chelsea expert names likely Pulisic price-tag and says Liverpool would see ‘USA version’ of playmaker

Liverpool have been linked to Christian Pulisic by Bundesliga expert and friend of EOTK Christian Falk.

TRUE✅ @LFC is interested in Christian Pulisic (23) as replacement for Sadio Mané (@FCBayern 🔥) @ChelseaFC

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) June 5, 2022

We reached out to Falk for more information but he actually had nothing else to give bar what it says in the above tweet!

So, as a result, we spoke to Simon Phillips, the editor of Chelsea News for his thoughts on the prospective deal.

“I think Jurgen Klopp is a great man manager and motivator so he would give him a lot of confidence and belief. I think if he went there you’d see the USA version rather than Chelsea’s version,” he began.

“We signed him for almost £60m, but his market value now is probably around £40m.” 

£40m for a 23-year-old of clearly immense talent seems a fairly good deal in this day and age, although the big issue with Pulisic is his injury-record.

One of the best things about Sadio Mane and Mo Salah over the past five years has been their incredible availability. They don’t miss matches, so can gain momentum and be consistently available to Klopp.

In the past two seasons, he’s picked up seven different illnesses or injuries that have led to him missing 30 games in total.

“It’s really a mixture of injuries and managers not fully trusting him, and as a result, he’s not being able to gain rhythm. He’s also been played out of position quite a bit,” Phillips explains as to why Pulisic has not yet reached the heights many hoped following his transfer from Dortmund.

“He’s quick, direct, has good work rate, good finisher in the box, can be a real talisman and make things happen. However, he’s inconsistent, doesn’t do it enough on big occasions, dips in and out of games and has a bad injury record.

“But even so, I think it’s unlikely our new owners will sanction Pulisic leaving and even if they do, I don’t think we will sell to a rival.”

Losing Sadio Mane is going to hurt Liverpool – and the reality is – we’ll do very, very well to bring in a player of his calibre with the 35M-odd Bayern will eventually pay for his services.  (Their opening £21m bid was rejected out of hand, but they’ll be back.)

It is a little odd to us though that Pulisic is considered a replacement. Mane is a forward. Either from the left or central. He scores goals. Lots of them. The American played most games for Chelsea as a no.10 last season and even dropped in at wing-back on occasion. He is closer to Harvey Elliott than he is Mane, so the idea of him replacing the Senegalese makes no sense.

If he were replacing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Taki Minamino, attacking midfielders who probably need an exit, fine – but not Mane.

The player who comes in for Mane needs to be quick, robust, skilful and a danger in the final third. We nailed it with Luis Diaz in January, but now must do so again.