The Archive

July 2023

Can moves for Chelsea duo spark a Serie A title surge?
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Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Christian Pulisic have joined Fikayo Tomori in swapping Chelsea for AC Milan this summer. The Rossoneri are in the process of a rebuild, but will be one of the leading contenders for the Serie A crown. There are welcome offers available from the leading sportsbooks for fans of Milan, and, of course, America's own Pulisic, to use in order to back the the club to reclaim the Scudetto after surrendering the title to Napoli in the 2022/23 season. The former Chelsea duo will play an important role, but only if they can rediscover their peak form as Tomori did at San Siro.

The loss of Sandro Tonali is a blow, but the reinvestment of those funds could pay dividends, as happened with Tomori, who was a crucial cog in the title-winning side at the back and remains one of the top defenders in the Italian top flight. There is undoubted presssure and big boots to fill to return Milan to the top of the standings in Serie A.

Loftus-Cheek

Loftus-Cheek was highly touted as a superstar during his formative years, but struggled with injuries and the glut of midfield talent ahead of him at Stamford Bridge. He appeared to have broken into the first team picture late in the 2018/19 season only to suffer a serious Achilles injury against New England Revolution in a charity game.

Loftus-Cheek missed almost the entirety of the following campaign, and, although he eventually returned to the Chelsea line-up, he never hinted at finding the level of form he possessed before his injury. The former England international also had to deal with the litany of managers at the Blues, who moved him around the field, failing to bring out his best.

Given the departure of Tonali, Loftus-Cheek has the chance to nail down a starting role alongside Ismael Bennacer to become a focal point of the Rossoneri midfield. Under Stefano Pioli, he could rediscover his form and match Tomori in making a decisive impact at San Siro. His role will be vital to the Rossoneri to control the middle of the park, while offering a threat in the final third that even Tonali failed to provide. The 27-year-old could well offer a useful dimension that may yield positive results for his new club.

Pulisic

Pulisic falls under the same category as Loftus-Cheek, i.e., a player that was billed as an exciting prospect but failed to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge. Still only 24, Pulisic has time on his side to regain his lightning touch in the final third. He was one of the standout players in the Bundesliga for Borussia Dortmund before his move to Chelsea. The USA international had a solid first campaign in a difficult season. But, injuries and form limited his time on the field while managers came and went and did not deem the forward good enough for a starting role, including Thomas Tuchel.

There is plenty of competition in the Milan forward line with Olivier Giroud as the central figure. Rafael Leao is the emerging superstar of the line-up, while Alexis Saelemaekers and Charles De Ketelaere are other young players in the mix. Pulisic has the chance to hit the ground running as the outlay for his signature is likely to guarantee him an opportunity to start from the off. Milan need a spark in the final third to ease the pressure on Leao. If Pulisic can enjoy a fast start to his Milan career, he may finally live up to his potential and become a true standout in Serie A and the Champions League, especially if he plays a key part in returning the Rossoneri to the top.