Christian Pulisic’s first Premier League minutes of the 2020-21 season will have to wait, though Chelsea FC manager Frank Lampard said Friday that the US men’s national team star could be available in the next “week or two.”
Providing updates ahead of their Saturday match against West Bromwich Albion, Lampard said the attacking midfielder and newcomer Hakim Ziyech have both returned to training with the team.
Pulisic, who’s been out since an Aug. 1 hamstring injury he suffered in Chelsea’s FA Cup final match against Arsenal, appears to be nearing a return. But Lampard also cautioned that patience is of the utmost importance, especially when looking to avoid an injury relapse.
During Pulisic's first season with Chelsea, after joining via a $73 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund, he made a sizable impact for the Blues. The 22-year-old, playing mostly as a left winger, managed 11 goals and 10 assists in 34 matches across all competitions.
Nagging injuries have plagued Pulisic since he departed the Bundesliga, though he impressed enough to be one of eight players nominated for last year’s Premier League's Young Player of the Year award. Alongside Ziyech, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz – all new to the squad in 2020-21 – Pulisic figures to continue his upward trajectory.
