Four years after leaving Signal Iduna Park, the American is back for a huge Champions League match as a key player for the Rossoneri
The prodigal son is returning. Well, at least one of them. Borussia Dortmund have had a whole bunch of prodigal sons over the last few years, perhaps more than any other club. Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho… it's a wild list.
This story, though, is about Christian Pulisic. Once a rising star at Dortmund, now a key figure at AC Milan. And, on Wednesday, Pulisic will return to Signal Iduna Park four years after he initially left the club in search of a next step.
That step came at Chelsea, but it was one full of highs and lows. It was one that produced a Champions League trophy, but it's also one that saw Pulisic's career stop and start more times than he can count. Despite the team's success, Pulisic's career at Chelsea never quite went the way everyone expected it to.
And that leads us here. Now a star with AC Milan, Pulisic is beginning to look like the player many knew he could be when he left Dortmund all those years ago, and he could play a key role as his current and former employers prepare for an absolutely humongous Champions League clash.
Getty ImagesA boy arrives
It feels hard to believe, but it's been nearly nine years since Pulisic first signed with Borussia Dortmund. Much has changed in that time, and that was the aim of it all when Pulisic first moved to Germany at age 16. The goal wasn't to follow the typical path set out for him in American soccer; it was to blaze a new trail and become the new face of the U.S. men's national team.
That process began in Dortmund and, in some ways, it began faster than many could have expected. Less than a year after arriving, Pulisic was tossed into the first team, making his debut after the Bundesliga's winter break. He never looked back from that moment, becoming something of a regular for Dortmund in the coming years.
We know how it all went: 127 appearances, 19 goals and a DFB-Pokal later, Pulisic had proven himself at one of Germany's biggest clubs. He was also beginning to prove himself as an American soccer star, the phoenix to emerge from the ashes of the 2018 World Cup failure to lead a new generation that, ultimately, proved itself in 2022.
In January 2019, though, it was confirmed that Pulisic would be moving on, as he agreed to a deal to move to Chelsea the following summer for a record-breaking £58 million (€64m/$73m) transfer fee. In the process, he became the most expensive American player ever and Dortmund's second-biggest sale, behind only Dembele.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesUps and downs at Chelsea
If there was a word to describe Pulisic's life at Chelsea, and the Blues in general over the last few years, it would be 'inconsistent'. There were highs, of course, especially early on. Brought in to replace Eden Hazard, Pulisic showed glimpses of being able to do just that, notably during the club's run to the 2020-21 Champions League.
Pulisic, however, never locked down a regular spot on the field and, by the end, was buried behind a plethora of other big-money attacking signings. There was never really a period where Pulisic got the consistent run of games needed, whether due to injury, managerial changes or overall Chelsea chaos.
By the end, all involved were ready to move on. Chelsea had spent big on new attackers, and there's no end in sight to that pursuit. Pulisic, meanwhile, clearly needed a fresh start. So, after four seasons, 26 goals and three trophies, Pulisic said goodbye to Stamford Bridge and hello to San Siro.
Getty ImagesLifeline in Milan
By joining Milan, Pulisic didn't have to take a step backwards. No, this was a step sideways and, depending on how you look at it, maybe a step forward.
Milan are in the Champions League, after all. They were semi-finalists last season and Serie A champions the year before. For years, Italy's giants were relatively dormant, but over the last few campaigns, they've shown signs of life.
This summer, with stars like Sandro Tonali and Brahim Diaz on the way out, the club went out and added a few new pieces. Samuel Chukwueze was one, as was Pulisic's USMNT team-mate Yunus Musah. However, the American winger was the big one, signed for a reported €20 million (£17m/$22m). Thus far, that move has looked like a stroke of genius for both Milan and Pulisic.
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GettyLife in Italy (so far)
Serie A has been a good landing spot for Pulisic. He scored in his first two appearances, netting against Bologna and Torino in a pair of wins to start the season. There was a bit of a blip after the international break, but Pulisic was back among the goals on Saturday, scoring the opener in a 2-0 win over Lazio.
The goals are good, particularly for a player that will take every chance to boost his confidence after years in and out of the Chelsea XI. But that's just one part of all of this; the other is how he's getting them.
For the first time in a while, Pulisic has been able to bring his USMNT swagger to the club level. He's playing with purpose, not fear, as he continues to create danger for Milan. He already has a relationship with Olivier Giroud from Chelsea, and with Rafael Leao drawing plenty of eyeballs on the other wing, Pulisic has been free to do what he does best. His most recent goal came via a Leao cross, ensuring that he heads into this Champions League reunion in good form.