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Americans on the move? Retired US goalkeeper Brad Friedel calls for Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic and Arsenal’s Matt Turner to leave for new clubs and more playing time
Former United States goalkeeping legend and New England Revolution coach Brad Friedel has called up current national team stars Christian Pulisic and Matt Turner to move to new teams during the summer transfer window.
Friedel predicted a move for Pulisic, who has struggled to find consistent playing time at Chelsea due to injury battles plus multiple manager changes, while Turner has been used only as a cup keeper for Arsenal.
‘It goes back to having too many players at Chelsea. Look who he’s up against,” former Premier League goalkeeper Friedel said of Pulisic’s future in an interview with Sporting Post.
“I’m not one of those people who says someone should leave if they’re not playing because I think you have to fight for your place and prove yourself.”
Brad Friedel has called for Christian Pulisic and Matt Turner to move to new clubs to play more
Pulisic was already scheduled to be sold by Chelsea during January before picking up a knee injury.
The talented winger was the star of the United States team during the 2022 World Cup in Russia
‘But if there’s not going to be opportunities, Christian is one of the most important players for the US, so we want him to play consistently.
He has a year left on his contract, but I’m sure there is someone out there who will want him. So it all comes down to the money side.
I’ve never talked to him so I don’t know what he wants, if he wants to stay and fight for his place or if he wants a new challenge.
“It’s going to be one of those summers where they tell him he’s in the Chelsea plans and offer him a new contract, or sell him.”
“Looking at things, I’m thinking it’s probably the latter and we’ll see him somewhere else that might be good for him to play consistently.”
Chelsea and Pulisic have long been reported to have divorced after it was reported that the winger wanted to leave Chelsea at the end of the summer window in search of more consistent playing time.
Multiple reports have also indicated that Chelsea’s plan was to sell Pulisic during January after securing the signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk, but Pulisic’s most recent knee injury put an end to those plans.
The 24-year-old has scored 26 goals in 136 appearances for the Blues, although 11 of them came in his first season, which coincidentally was the only season in which a manager gave him consistent playing time and showed consistent confidence in him. .
As Friedel and many others have pointed out, the recent signings of Mudryk along with Raheem Sterling, Joao Felix and Noni Madueke in the last two transfer windows have further clogged Chelsea’s depth chart at the winger.
Turner, on the other hand, is in his first season at Arsenal and has only made six appearances in total between Europa League and FA Cup matches.
‘When I wasn’t playing consistently when I was at Liverpool, I had to go out. Although I loved the club and it was the team that I supported, I had to leave for my career,” said Fridel.
Matt Turner has featured for Arsenal six times this season, albeit only in cup competitions.
Turner was the No. 1 goalie for the United States during the World Cup and started every game.
You have such a short career as a professional footballer and you need to play as many matches as possible within that time.
‘Look at Matt’s competition for the national team spot. He was number one then and he has spent all this time without playing, but Zack Steffen, who did not get a game at Manchester City, is now playing well at Middlesbrough.
“They’re potential promotion contenders and all of a sudden with Zack playing at a high level in the Championship and potentially the Premier League and playing every week while Matt is on the bench, then you’re seeing another change in who he is.” the number one goalkeeper for the United States national team.
“I think Matt, whatever happens, even though Arsenal is an amazing club, he has to find some consistent football somewhere. This season, good, but if he’s not going to be number one, he has to go.