Christian Pulisic no longer a focal point for US or Milan, and that is accepted
Christian Pulisic is no longer a focal point for the United States or AC Milan, a reality visible on Sunday during Milan’s Serie A visit to Sassuolo and in the reshaped international window reported on October 13, 2026.
Now 28, Pulisic’s standing has shifted as younger teammates step into high-pressure roles; his three-plus years at Milan have yielded 43 goals and 28 assists in 138 appearances but only one trophy since his July 2023 arrival, the 2025 Supercoppa Italia in Saudi Arabia. FIFA folded the October international window into September this year, denying him the usual second-weekend-of-October appearance for the United States after he featured in friendlies against Ecuador and Australia last year. A lower-leg microfracture suffered against Belgium at the World Cup kept him off the teamsheet for a period and he made his first league start of the season in mid-September.
Against Sassuolo, Pulisic started in the right half-space beneath Gonçalo Ramos and his touches consistently drew extra defensive attention, with mid-table Sassuolo more willing to allow the ball to Diego Moreira than to leave Pulisic unmarked. He often dropped into the defensive half to create numerical advantages and frequently recycled possession to Yunus Musah, trailing on the right side of midfield, while leading Milan with 5.3km covered in the first half. Pulisic was part of the build-up to Milan’s only goal, playing the pass before Luka Modrić’s assist and serving as a decoy for the Croat, but by the 77th minute his only shot had been blocked and his lone created chance was smothered by the goalkeeper before Samuel Chukwueze could convert.
Recent form under Ruben Amorim has been modest: Pulisic has recorded either a goal or an assist in just four of his 22 most recent Serie A appearances. With a quarter-hour remaining against Sassuolo, Amorim substituted Pulisic for Alpha Cissè; Cissè, 19, arrived from Hellas Verona this summer, has been praised early by the coach and has scored twice in 242 league minutes. Under Amorim this season Pulisic has accumulated 190 minutes and one goal, while Amorim said in late August, “I love Cissè. I love Cissè.”
There are signals of club faith: Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Pulisic is one of three key players Milan hopes to renew early in the Amorim era, and he retains recent high points, having led Milan with 17 goals in all competitions last season. At a San Siro meet-and-greet during the window Pulisic said, “I can only say that I am very happy at Milan right now and for the near future as well,” adding, “So, yeah, I’m not thinking about the contract renewal but I am very happy here. I want to stay at Milan.”
Pulisic’s international role has contracted under Lionel Pochettino, who opened the US setup’s next phase by selecting 13 top prospects but did not call up Pulisic as he recovered from injury. The coach gave debuts to several teenage attackers; Cavan Sullivan scored an audacious opener against Mexico, while Mathis Albert and Zavier Gozo also began their senior international careers. Pulisic has managed just one goal since the start of 2025 — in a tune-up friendly against Senegal — and his mostly poor World Cup performances did not bolster his case, with Pochettino declining to directly address Pulisic’s situation during the recent international window.
Given his club form and the emergence of younger options, Milan’s reported plan to prioritise an early contract renewal for Pulisic is the immediate development to watch, and Pulisic’s own words at San Siro underline his intention to remain: “I want to stay at Milan.”