“Pulisic will prove to be very important for Chelsea” – Rudiger expects great things from the USMNT star

Christian Pulisic has the potential to become a “very important” player for Chelsea, says Antonio Rudiger, with the United States national team showing many promises during his England debut campaign.

The 2019-20 season was sort of a mixed bag for a player drawn into the Premier League from a successful spell at Borussia Dortmund.

At just 21, and already a talismanic figure for his country, great things were expected of Pulisic when he arrived in West London.

A change of scenery and requests for a new competition initially weighed heavily on the USMNT star, with a slow start revived at Stamford Bridge.

However, Pulisic had to find his feet and was progressing positively before suffering a premature injury at the end of the year.

A forced break during the coronavirus pandemic actually worked in favor of the young attacker when he returned to full form, and two targets were recorded since the restart.

Pulisic has been a lively presence alongside Frank Lampard, earning comparisons with former Blues star Eden Hazard, and Rudiger added his voice to those who sing the praises of Americans.

The German defender said to Chelsea Official site: “I think Christian handles the pressure very well and you can see that when he’s in shape, he’s such an important player for us.

“If you look at his recent performances, since his reboot, it’s been fantastic and it’s a real threat every time he attacks the opposition.

“He has scored goals but he’s also creating goals and he’s a great player for us right now. I just hope he can stay in shape, stay healthy and with more games I’m sure he will continue to improve even more.

“I think if he continues like this, and remains healthy like I said, then he can become a very important player for this club.”

Pulisic must maintain its current standards as competition for the venues is fierce in Chelsea, with the promise of others coming soon as the Blues try to add to the agreements they have already concluded for Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner.

Rudiger considers the depth of the team vital for any ambitious outfit, saying of Lampard’s ability to blend youth and experience: “We have a good mix in the club and it’s not always easy to find it.

“We have some experienced guys and obviously many young players, who I think have done really well this season.

“Obviously we can’t predict the future, but with this mix of talented good guys and some more experienced players, I don’t see why we can’t challenge for trophies. In the future, we have a chance.

“Every year they go one step further and, as the coach said earlier, when you’re at Chelsea, these are the levels you want to reach and that we should reach.

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“Having competition is a good problem.

“It makes you train better and makes you play better because you know there are other people waiting to take your place. You must always be at the top of your game.

“As a coach, it is obviously difficult to make everyone happy and obviously we have so many options, so you have to give your best every day.”