Christian Pulisic has been told that ‘the sky’s the limit’ for him at Chelsea, with fellow countryman Kasey Keller backing the United States international to star in English football.
Big things were expected of the 21-year-old forward when he arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2019.
Having burst on to the scene in Germany at Borussia Dortmund, the Blues were aware of the potential they were buying into.
Pulisic did take a while to find his feet in new surroundings, with no immediate burst out of the blocks made by the American playmaker.
A hat-trick against Burnley was, however, to light a Premier League fuse, with belief and confidence restored to the youngster’s game.
He suffered another unfortunate setback when picking up a troublesome injury at the start of 2020, but a coronavirus-enforced break has worked in Pulisic’s favour.
Having returned to full fitness during a three-month hiatus, a key role is once again being nailed down in Frank Lampard’s plans.
Pulisic has found the target against Aston Villa and Manchester City, while also helping the Blues into the semi-finals of the FA Cup.
The desired impact is now being made by the precocious talent, with Keller – who spent several years in England with Millwall, Leicester and Tottenham – believing his compatriot can reach the very top of the game.
‘I thought he was Chelsea’s best player for the majority of the match,’ former USMNT goalkeeper Keller told ESPN FC after seeing Pulisic catch the eye in a 1-0 FA Cup win over Leicester.
‘What he’s able to do in not just setting up other players but finding himself in goalscoring opportunities, [Kasper] Schmeichel made a brilliant save or he would have scored in the first half.
‘If Pulisic can stay healthy and continue to learn and play better, there’s no question I completely agree with Frank that the sky’s the limit.
‘You’ve seen that from him this season already. Alright, it’s been stop-start, he’s had a few injury issues, but now he looks to be back at full form.
‘His ability to on the turn skate past defenders and create space for his team going forward and create goalscoring chances not just for himself but for his teammates, that’s a rare gift.
‘Like I said, the sky’s the limit.’
Pulisic has had 26 appearances across all competitions this season, with eight goals and six assists offered to the Chelsea cause.