Tim Howard reckons Christian Pulisic could be about to pull off a Premier League comeback story for the ages. The former Manchester United keeper says the AC Milan star is ready to follow in the footsteps of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah.
Pulisic's Chelsea stint didn't go to plan after his £58million move from Borussia Dortmund in 2019. Sure, he won the Champions League, but injuries and falling out with Thomas Tuchel meant he never really hit his stride at Stamford Bridge.
Fast forward to now, and the American is absolutely tearing it up in Serie A. He's bagged eight goals and two assists for AC Milan this season, with only Inter's Lisandro Martinez scoring more after 24 games. Milan are sitting second in the table, and Pulisic's been the driving force.
The De Bruyne and Salah Comparison
Howard didn't hold back on his Unfiltered Soccer podcast when discussing links to Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. "I'm going to put him in a very high class here... Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah," he said.
"They weren't good enough at Chelsea, apparently, so they went abroad. Mohamed Salah went to Roma and Kevin De Bruyne went to Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg. They gained confidence, came back to the Premier League and then it was game over."
Howard sees the same pattern with Pulisic. The forward has matured at Milan, carrying one of Italy's biggest clubs on his shoulders. Now 26, he's a completely different player to the one who struggled in West London.
"He's been the best player in that league so now I think he comes back to the Premier League, gets slotted into a Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, I think there's actually another level for him," Howard explained.
What This Means for United's Season
If United do pull off this signing, they'd be getting one of Europe's in-form attackers. For punters looking at top-four finishes or cup runs, Pulisic's arrival could shift the odds considerably. His Serie A numbers suggest he's hitting peak form at exactly the right time.
Fellow US legend Landon Donovan had one reservation though. "The physical part of it is a real thing," he warned. "Some of the athletes in the Premier League are monsters. Christian is a phenomenal athlete but we see him break down a little from time to time."
Donovan questioned whether Pulisic could handle 35-40 games per season at Premier League intensity without his injury problems returning. It's a fair point considering his Chelsea days were plagued by fitness issues.
But Howard believes if Pulisic wants to cement his legacy as America's greatest ever player, he needs to prove himself at a top Premier League club. "If his eyes are on the prize... then he's going to look at this differently," Howard said.
The big question now is whether United, Arsenal or Liverpool will make their move. With Milan flying high, it won't come cheap. But if Pulisic does return and follows the De Bruyne-Salah blueprint, it could be one of the transfers of the season.
