Chelsea might be making one of the major coups of the summer should they get their hands on highly rated Jadon Sancho. Having been the subject of interest from a host of teams, Lampard can indeed count himself lucky to be making the England star his own.
While that piece of activity could be a great way to start the summer for Chelsea, It could be the beginning of worry for Christian Pulisic and a certain Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Much recently, a report particularly claimed that Christian Pulisic will have a fight on his hands to keep his place in the Chelsea side, if the Blues seal a deal for Jadon Sancho.
Chelsea appealed their transfer ban last month in hope of being able to sign players in the January window, and after a few weeks of waiting FIFA came out and revealed that they had cut-short the transfer ban imposed on the Blues, meaning that they are now free to get some business done, business that will please international sponsors such as Mastercard who will be keen to see Chelsea linked with big names once again.
Further reports in the media suggested that he has become a top transfer target for Frank Lampard and a deal is already in the close stages of completion.
According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea are prepared to pay a club-record £100million to land the England international and want to make him a fixture in the side
The report goes on to say Lampard’s plan is to have both Sancho and close friend Callum Hudson-Odoi spearhead Chelsea’s attack over the coming year, with Tammy Abraham playing through the middle.
However, it might mean that Pulisic will once again have to fight for his Chelsea career, just like he had too after a poor start to life in the Premier League under the club legend.
After enjoying an excellent spell of form at the end of October and start of November – where he scored five goals in three games – Pulisic has failed to net in his last four league outings, and there is a feeling that he is still failing to adapt to life in England and the Premier League.
WILL SANCHO SIGNING RUIN PULISIC?
Sancho is a brilliantly gifted midfielder that does have all the potential to become one of the best midfielders in the game, and for that £100 million valuation on his head, it could be a great investment from the Blues.
But why does his arrival at the club mean the end for Pulisic? Why can’t Lampard have Sancho, Hudson-Odoi, Abraham and Pulisic in the same starting line-up, it would be a very exciting attack. But surely, that can’t work and one of Pulisic or Hudson-Odoi would have to settle as a second choice option. As is the case even now that Sancho isn’t at the club.
Signing Sancho in the summer transfer window is not for Lampard to replace Pulisic. it is to add something different to his attack, and although Pulisic will need to work harder to get into the side, it does not mean that Sancho’s arrival would spell the end for Pulisic.
At a point in time, the American looked out of sorts at the club and a quick boost in form saw him get the nod in the starting lineup for a run of games – justifying those starts as he scored a number of goals including that “perfect” hat-trick as you would like to call it.
What happens to Hudson-Odoi as well?
The media might say Pulisic is under more threat but it’s necessarily not so. It would strictly be on the basis on who impresses the most and takes his chance by the neck.
Hudson-Odoi hasn’t hit the ground running so far this season and many have cut him slack considering he was out with injury for a period of time.
As it stands, the fact remains that Pulisic is currently ahead of Hudson-Odoi in the pecking order and except the Englishman stakes a better claim than the American, things would simply remain as they are.
And if we are quick to think Hudson-Odoi is young and still has time to develop, we have to remember only two years separate both players and Pulisic is only 21 as well. Meaning both players still have ample time and room for development.
19-year-old Hudson-Odoi can play on the right-wing as well as he did last season on when Hazard played on the left but that won’t be an option as Sancho would have fully made that spot his own. So, his best chance still remains to battle it out with Pulisic.
In summary, Hudson-Odoi would have to step up his game to be considered a starter full time at the club. Any basis of him becoming a regular because he is “friends” with Sancho is surely a far claim.
