U.S. men’s national team legend Landon Donovan doubts Christian Pulisic’s ability to “physically” handle the Premier League if the AC Milan man were to make the move back to England.
Pulisic has been at the center of transfer speculation in recent weeks, with multiple reports linking him back with the Premier League, where he previously spent four seasons with Chelsea. The 27-year-old is under contract with the Rossoneri until June 2027, but a lack of progress in extension talks has thrown his future in question.
As rumors continue to swirl, Donovan and fellow USMNT icon Tim Howard weighed in on the winger’s potential Premier League homecoming on the latest episode of Unfiltered Soccer. The former goalkeeper believes Pulisic would reach “another level” if he were to join an English giant, like Liverpool or Manchester United, but his cohost had larger concerns.
“This is a scenario where I think if he is motivated and wants to go prove it, he is capable of it—going to one of these big clubs in England,” Donovan said. “The one hesitation I have, and this is just speaking from personal experience … the physical part of it is a real thing.
“He’s a phenomenal athlete, he is. But some of the athletes in the Premier League are monsters. I mean monsters. And to do it, 35, 40, 45 times a year at that pace is really hard. I don’t know, physically, if he could do it every single week for two or three years, like some of these guys. Because it’s really hard.”
Why Donovan’s Concerns for Pulisic Are Not Unfounded
Pulisic has struggled with fitness issues for his entire career, especially during his days at Chelsea. According to Transfermarkt, the American suffered 13 different injuries in his four seasons at Stamford Bridge.
Such extended spells on the sidelines forced Pulisic to miss a total of 60 games throughout his stay in west London. Since his move to Milan ahead of the 2023–24 season, his fitness woes have drastically decreased, but consistency still eludes the USMNT standout.
In 2025–26 alone, Pulisic has already dealt with three different injuries that marred his incredible start to the campaign. The winger recorded eight goal contributions in his first seven games for Milan this season, only to then suffer a hamstring injury during the October international break.
In the ensuing months, Pulisic has been in and out of the infirmary and his lack of consistent playing time has shown in his underwhelming performances as of late. He has only found the back of the net four times in his last 13 appearances—and all four of those goals came before the calendar flipped to 2026.
Moving back to what is widely considered the most physical and competitive league in the world could do more harm than good to Pulisic’s body and career.
How Pulisic’s Potential Premier League Move Impacts the USMNT
Should the rumors all become reality and Pulisic does indeed transfer back to the Premier League, the move is a high risk, high reward situation for the USMNT. If the Stars and Stripes’ captain does indeed join one of the biggest teams in the world and succeeds, he could take his international game to new heights.
But if he returns to the top English division and once again cannot stay healthy or fails to log consistent minutes, Pulisic suddenly goes from one of the best players in Serie A to an after thought in the Premier League. A serious injury could also leave the USMNT without its best player for an extended period, breaking up the fluidity and cohesion of the team yet again.
Even if he manages to avoid the treatment room, Pulisic could still see his minutes drastically decrease, becoming just an option off the bench should he have to compete with the stars already at his new home. Then, the former Chelsea man would come into international camps rusty and without the form necessary to carry his team—a burden expected of him at this point.
Of course, only time will tell if Pulisic even moves to the Premier League, let alone succeeds or fails in England. But the consequences of the potential transfer would go far beyond his club career.
