Man Utd Step Up Pursuit of Pulisic as INEOS Targets Ex-Chelsea Star

Manchester United are moving decisively in their bid to land Christian Pulisic from AC Milan this summer, with INEOS particularly enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing the American to Old Trafford.

The 27-year-old's time at Chelsea hardly covered him in glory, but his subsequent spell in Serie A has proven the west London club made a significant misjudgement when he departed for Italy in the summer of 2023. Since then, Pulisic has racked up 88 goal involvements across 131 appearances for the Rossoneri, establishing himself as a genuine star performer in one of Europe's elite leagues.

With his current deal running until 2027, Pulisic represents a viable summer target for ambitious Premier League sides. United are among those keen to strengthen their attacking ranks ahead of their Champions League return, and the club's recent recruitment under INEOS—which yielded the successful arrivals of Senne Lammens, Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha last summer—suggests they're well-positioned to make moves in the market.

The Red Devils are actively pursuing additional firepower on the wing, and reports indicate they're now accelerating their plans to bring Pulisic to Manchester. Club officials view him as a particularly appealing alternative to AC Milan teammate Rafael Leao, citing two key factors that make the American stand out.

First, there's the tactical flexibility. The 27-year-old has operated across the attacking line throughout this season, even featuring as a false nine, which underlines his intelligence and adaptability in forward areas. Second, his contract situation works in United's favour. Despite being among Milan's standout performers, Pulisic has just 12 months remaining on his current terms, with the club holding an option to extend—though TEAMtalk understands no active extension negotiations are currently underway following preliminary discussions last year.

Former Premier League goalkeeper Tim Howard has been bullish about Pulisic's potential should he make the step up. Speaking to Unfiltered Soccer, Howard drew parallels to two of the division's greatest players who similarly struggled at Chelsea before flourishing elsewhere.

"I'm going to put him in a very high class," Howard said. "Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah—we now know the finished products. When I say those names, people go, 'Huh? Those are two of the greatest players in Premier League history', but I remember Kevin De Bruyne at Chelsea, I remember Mohamed Salah at Chelsea. They weren't good enough apparently, so they went abroad. Mohamed Salah went to Roma and Kevin De Bruyne went to Werder Bremen and Wolfsburg. They were the players that they were, they gained confidence, they did all those things, they came back to the Premier League and then it was game over, history was written."

Howard believes Pulisic's maturity and experience at the top level could see him reach new heights in English football. "He's put AC Milan on his back and he's been the best player in that league, so now I think from the physical and football maturity side, he comes back to the Premier League and he gets slotted into a Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool—I think there's actually another level for him."