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It was reported today that Brian McBride has told United States soccer phenom Christian Pulisic to stay clear of Manchester United, and he should instead join English Premier League side Liverpool. McBride would know what it takes to play in the EPL, as he played for Fulham for four seasons. From his experience, he thinks Pulisic needs to go to the club which would continue his development. In an interview with ESPN, McBride said “I would make sure the club plays the style of soccer I play. If you’re going to Manchester United, you know you’re not going to be on the ball nearly as much as you are at Liverpool or Real Madrid.”
Pulisic needs to make a decision here and go to the best place for his development, because let’s remember, he is just 19 years old. That brings us to our next question: is Christian Pulisic a good fit for the Premier League?
The way Pulisic plays, I think so. The Premier League is a tough league and every game is a battle. We have seen world class players fail and a lot of other players fail: Angel Di Maria, Paulinho, and Jerome Boateng, just to name a few. The EPL will kick you when you're down and bully you if you let it.
When it comes to Pulisic, he has shown fighting spirit, and we have seen him put everything on the line for both Borussia Dortmund and the USMNT. Many teams can benefit from a player with his attitude and his play style. A true outside midfielder and winger is almost a lost art in the EPL and the world of soccer. Pulisic brings that to the table and plenty of teams can use his quality.
If Christian Pulisic is to move away from Dortmund, this decision is a very important one, with him being so young. There is no need to force a move and halt his development. Pulisic needs to think carefully and go to the club which will feature him the best, play to his strengths, and, most importantly, not limit him. The desire to go to a big club does persuade people, but for Pulisic he needs to keep developing and if Liverpool offers him that, then that should be his next step.