Chelsea: Christian Pulisic for Alvaro Morata is a risk worth taking

Chelsea has allegedly told Dortmund that they will not sell Michy Batshuayi, but will part with Alvaro Morata for Christian Pulisic. That is a worthy risk.

The Blues need to strengthen this summer. Primarily (assuming Chelsea switch to a 4-3-3 under Maurizio Sarri), the club needs a goal scoring midfielder and a right winger.

Willian is courted by Manchester United and should no longer have a place in the team after his antics following the FA Cup win. Pedro only has a year left on his contract and is unlikely to see it extended. So the Blues need a quality right winger. Either a ready made player or one with potential who can start is needed.

Christian Pulisic checks those boxes. More often than not, he has been a starter for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. He is still raw, but playing successfully in a team like Dortmund is not a far cry from doing the same at Chelsea. But the Blues will have to be crafty if they want the young American.

The rumored method involves dangling the striker carrot out in front of Dortmund. Since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang departed for Arsenal, the German side has only had one option for striker. That option was Chelsea’s own Michy Batshuayi on loan. The Blues have told Dortmund that they are not willing to sell Batshuayi. But the rumor is that Alvaro Morata is a different case.

Morata started well, but injury and behind the scenes issues saw his form fall off. Supposedly, he is no fan of London and rumors of his transfer have circulated all summer. According to reports, the Blues are willing to give Dortmund what they need (a striker) in exchange for what they need (a right winger).

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It would be risky. Morata is a good striker despite the criticisms he faces. He did decent statistically last season and should only improve. Batshuayi, meanwhile, looks good in a particular system but poor outside of it. It would be risky to let Morata go and put the weight of success on Batshuayi and Olivier Giroud.

But both Batshuayi and Giroud are good enough to lead the line. Willian and Pedro are no longer at the level needed for various reasons. Pulisic would fill that hole. He is raw, yes, but he could learn a great deal under Eden Hazard’s tutelage. In addition, he would excel in an aggressive, possession based system like Sarri is supposed to bring. He is well disciplined and will rarely be caught strolling about. And he has plenty of potential to be a world class player if groomed properly.

All of that is not to mention the sheer marketing potential he would have, especially compared to Morata. Would it off set his transfer price? Probably not. But just as Dortmund became America’s Bundesliga team, Chelsea could become their Premier League team.

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It would be a risk but one worth taking. Chelsea has a log jam at striker and allowing Morata to leave (provided a profit is made or the Blues break even) would be tolerable. Pulisic would fill in for a need and could easily double or triple his price in a few years. The Blues may not want to risk it, but it will be worth it if they decide to go for it.