There’s a lot of pressure on winger Christian Pulisic, who commences his first season at Chelsea FC in August. Very high expectations surround Pulisic, the face of the United States Men’s National Team and status holder of “most expensive American footballer in history” when he moved from Borussia Dortmund to Stamford Bridge for a deal worth $73 million.
BVB club legend Patrick Owomoyela, who featured 76 times with the club over a five year span, says Pulisic might be up to the monumental task that is in front of him- replacing the Blues’ departed to Real Madrid superstar Eden Hazard.
“Overall, he’s a fantastic player and a fantastic talent, still, so there’s more to come I’m pretty sure,” Owomoyela told us in an exclusive interview this morning by phone. The former German international was in town to promote BVB’s clash with Liverpool July 19 at Notre Dame Stadium.
“He had a little dip in form the last year with us, some struggles, but there was so much weight put on his young soldiers at a very young age, not just from our side, but from the U.S. side as well- that’s not unusual that you would see an outcome like that.”
“But with new things going on in London, with Chelsea, perhaps he reaches the next step in his career. He’s good enough to fill up the gap left by Eden Hazard leaving for Madrid.”
Chelsea are appealing the transfer ban that they have been slapped with, but it’s looking like they will have to go to war with the Hazard-less army they have this upcoming season.
Owomoyela cautions against unrealistic expectations being slapped on Pulisic at Chelsea, but he also pegged the Pennsylvania wonder-boy to be very successful in the Premiership this term.
“They shouldn’t put much pressure on him to do so (replace Hazard). I’m sure he could, but you should just let this kid develop and do his thing because that’s what he’s really good at.
I’m quite sure he’s going to perform well in the Premier League.”
Gregg Berhalter, the manager of Christian Pulisic on the international level, also believes the move to Chelsea is good for the 19-year-old. Read what the USMNT Coach had to say when we had an exclusive with him this winter.
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Owomoyela was joined by Liverpool legend Ian Rush at last night’s Chicago crosstown series baseball game, where the Cubs beat the White Sox 7-3, in gray, rainy and unseasonably cold conditions.
Owomoyela likened the atmosphere of last night’s baseball game to a local derby, did a public appearance at a local pizza chain, and made the media rounds in advance of the friendly that will be played less than a two hour drive from Chicago, July 19th at Notre Dame Stadium.
The match will take place two days after Borussia Dortmund’s friendly at the Seattle Sounders.
Go here for our exclusive with Vladimir Smicer, which covers the tour in more detail. And be sure to return next week for more with Ian Rush, as well as some great conversation with Patrick Owomoyela.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, also contributes to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.