Chelsea: Christian Pulisic wants ‘fresh start’ under Potter after falling out with Thomas Tuchel

Christian Pulisic has revealed his excitement to begin with a clean slate at Chelsea. 

The Blues appointed Brighton manager Graham Potter to replace the sacked Thomas Tuchel in early September, with the American winger falling out with the German after Tuchel ‘broke a promise’ about starting him in the Champions League.

But Pulisic told ESPN he is ‘really looking forward’ to starting from scratch under Potter as he looks to win back his place in the starting line-up.

The American winger was frozen out under the club’s previous boss Thomas Tuchel (left)

He said: ‘I’m feeling good going back, honestly. I have a fresh start now, and I’m excited to play for the new manager. So really just looking forward to it. I just have to prove myself, as everyone does, and as I’ve done before.’

The 52-cap international Pulisic, who played 76 minutes in the USMNT’s 0-0 friendly draw against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, previously opened up on feeling ‘dumbfounded’ after being dropped by Tuchel.  

Last season, the German was said to have told Pulisic he would be rested for a game at Fulham prior to the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid, only to ‘change his mind’ and opt for Kai Havertz instead.

Graham Potter (pictured) replaced the German in the Stamford Bridge dugout in September

‘What happened before that game was hugely disappointing for me,’ Pulisic said in his upcoming autography ‘Christian Pulisic: My Journey So Far’.

I’d had a really good first leg performance and our following match was against Fulham in the league. Tuchel told me that he was resting me for the second leg and as a result I didn’t play a single minute in the Fulham game. 

‘Then on matchday of the second semi, Tuchel tells me he’s changed his mind and he’s going with Kai. I honestly was dumbfounded and very disappointed. 

And the 24-year-old American wideman is now hoping to stake his claim for a starting spot

‘I thought that I’d earned a start and, most importantly, he had assured me previously I was going to start. So by the time he brought me on with about 25 minutes left, I was just so wound up.’  

The 24-year-old wideman has only played 155 Premier League minutes this season, with just one league start against West Ham – which saw him taken off after an hour.

Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount have generally been preferred in the forward positions this campaign, but that could now be set to change.