AC Milan ready to open talks with Chelsea for 24-year-old star: Reports

AC Milan are reportedly preparing to begin talks to rope in Chelsea star Christian Pulisic in the final week of the ongoing winter transfer window.

Pulisic, 24, joined the Blues from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £58 million in the summer of 2019. However, he has failed to shine at Stamford Bridge over the past three seasons, registering 26 goals and 21 assists in 136 appearances across all competitions.

Pulisic is a technical dribbler blessed with pace and flair and is in final 18 months of his contract with the Blues. The 56-cap USA international has been rumored to depart Graham Potter's side since the start of the ongoing 2022-23 campaign.

Following Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Noni Madueke's arrivals this month, he has fallen further down the pecking order at the five-time Premier League champions.

According to MARCA, Milan have launched an offensive to sign Pulisic in January and are likely to open negotiations with the Blues this week.

He is expected to provide competition to Rafael Leao, Ante Rebic, Junior Messias and Alexis Saelemaekers should he move to Milan. He is currently being considered surplus to requirements at the Stamford Bridge side.

However, the right-footed attacker is currently recovering from a knee injury. Earlier this month, Potter confirmed the development, saying:

"Christian's going to be out for a couple of months, we think. Hopefully it will be less, but that's the timeframe there."

Milan are also keeping tabs on Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech, as per Calciomercato. The former Ajax man has started just four Premier League matches this season and has been linked with a permanent transfer away from London for quite a while.

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Former Chelsea ace urges AC Milan-linked forward to reconsider his future at the Blues

Former Chelsea player-manager Ruud Gullit shared his thoughts on Hakim Ziyech's Blues stint since arriving from Ajax for a fee of around £34 million in 2020. Speaking to Ziggo Sport, he elaborated:

"The way Ziyech plays for Morocco, I've never seen him play for Chelsea. It's not just him. I think he has been put in positions that don't suit him at all. He just needs to play on the right side."

Predicting Ziyech to be a success at Barcelona, Gullit continued:

"I wonder... I think he comes into his own in Spain. I have the impression that he has never reached the level of Ajax in England. I would really like to see him in Spain in the future. He can reach his top level there. He would also fit well in that Barcelona team."

Ziyech has scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 98 games.