“It can be tough at times” – Chelsea star admits he sometimes struggles to live up to expectations

Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic has revealed his struggles in dealing with the pressures put on him, particularly by his country, the United States.

The American talent joined Chelsea in January 2019 for a hefty fee of £57.6 million and was immediately tasked with the challenge of replacing the outgoing star player Eden Hazard.

The former Borussia Dortmund forward is a star name in America and is one of the United States' biggest sporting attractions. This pressure has been highlighted by 23-year-old as an issue to deal with.

The winger told ESPN:

“It has been a lot [to live up to]. Especially in the U.S. I think I do have pretty high standards that people set for me and it can be tough at times,”

The forward has scored 18 times in 45 caps for his country and was made captain in 2018 at the relatively young age of just 20.

For Chelsea, the winger has not enjoyed the best of times at Stamford Bridge since his big-money move from Borussia Dortmund.

Pulisic has been in and out of the side as his form has never reached the consistency levels required of Premier League football. He has made 96 appearances for the club till date across competitions, scoring 20 goals and giving 17 assists. However, he has missed more than 40 games due to injury.

Manager Thomas Tuchel has a list of attacking talents at his disposal. A talk of a move for Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele will only cast more doubt on Pulisic's role in the side.

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Does Pulisic's long-term future lie away from Chelsea?

With the likes of Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz all battling it out for starting berths under Tuchel, Pulisic has had a hard time cementing a place in the team.

The winger has made 12 Premier League appearances for the Blues so far this season, starting eight of them and netting three times. A lack of game time may lead to his departure from the west London outfit.

A loan move may benefit both the player and the club as Pulisic would gain vital game time and still have a potential future at the Premier League giants. Genoa were linked with a move for Pulisic, with former Chelsea striker and then-manager Andriy Shevchenko reportedly a big fan of the American.

Perhaps the Serie A side could have tempted Tuchel to send Pulisic out on loan. The Italian team's finances perhaps would not have equated to the price that the American would most likely fetch.

Chelsea have slapped a £45 million price tag on the winger. However, he has insisted he remains content at Stamford Bridge. But should he still be on the fringes come summer time his signature could be chased by many sides.