Christian Pulisic (£6.9m) is our focus as we continue to assess the fit-again players who could make an impact in Fantasy Premier League upon its restart this month.
The American has been sidelined since New Year’s Day but was on the cusp of a return shortly before top-flight football was called to a halt in March.
It’s been a disjointed debut Premier League season for the former Borussia Dortmund winger, who initially failed to establish himself in the Chelsea starting XI before being handed eight successive starts in late autumn.
Pulisic now returns to bolster Frank Lampard’s options across the frontline, with the Blues pushing for a top-four spot.
Costing less than £7.0m and owned by just 3.4% of FPL managers (many of those will be inactive teams, too), the USA international is, at the very least, an attractively priced differential – although one who comes with caveats.
We delve into the numbers in the Members Area to further assess his credentials in the article below.
WHAT IS PULISIC’S FITNESS LATEST?
Pulisic was last seen in Gameweek 21, when he lasted 65 minutes of Chelsea’s 1-1 draw at Brighton and Hove Albion.
Missing the FA Cup third-round tie against Nottingham Forest with an issue with his adductor, the American was subsequently ruled out for several weeks with what his manager described as a “nasty injury”.
An early comeback in February was aborted as the problem proved to be more complicated than initially thought and it wasn’t until the beginning of March that Pulisic was ready to feature in a behind-closed-doors friendly.
Speaking ahead of Gameweek 29, just before COVID-19 stopped play, Lampard said:
We just had an in-house game here which Ruben [Loftus-Cheek] and Christian Pulisic took part in.
It’s great to see Christian get some minutes. He’s short of match fitness but it’s the first time the injury has felt at a level to get him on a big pitch in a relatively competitive match. That’s a big step forward, hopefully.
The unforeseen three-month hiatus has given Pulisic even more time to fully recharge, with the player himself saying of his injury in May:
I didn’t take it as seriously as I think I should have. It was one of those you felt you could do a lot of things but you try to push it that one extra step and realise it’s not ready yet.
It was very tough and frustrating going through times like that. I underestimated it and tried to get back as soon as I could because I just wanted to play so bad.
If anything, I’ve given myself a little more time to rest now and make sure that I’m 100 per cent fit. I’d say I’m fully recovered and ready to go as soon as we get back.
The winger has since been sighted in full training at Cobham, as preparations ramp up for the Blues’ fixture against Aston Villa.
WHOSE PLACE WILL HE TAKE?
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