Where Pulisic ranks among most promising American soccer stars
Christian Pulisic isn't the only promising American talent playing in Europe. Here's where the Chelsea star ranks among his compatriots on the continent.
You need not look any further than the rosters of the teams competing in the UEFA Champions League to see there hasn't been a time quite like the present for American men's soccer stars playing in Europe. Ten play for sides within the group stage of the competition, many of whom are set to crucial roles.
Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic is the biggest name of all, playing for one of the biggest clubs in the richest league in the world. Pulisic and Chelsea will play against Premier League giants Manchester United on Saturday (12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. ET on NBC) at Old Trafford, and seeing an American headliner in a fixture of that magnitude hardly has been a regular occurrence. It just might soon be, considering how much American talent is playing in Europe at the moment.
Pulisic has some real competition as the United States' most promising star playing in Europe. Just where does he rank among that crop? Let's examine the top five, starting with the first American to play for one of the biggest clubs in Italy.
All stats courtesy of FBRef.com unless noted otherwise.
Age: 22
Position: Central midfielder
Transfer value: Nearly $35.5 million (Maximum value of transfer to Juventus)
Four years after making his Bundesliga debut with Schalke, McKennie joined serial Serie A winners this fall on a loan with an obligation to buy if certain incentives are hit. In all, the German club could receive up to €30 million.
The hard-working midfielder started the first two league matches under new manager (and long-haired Juventus legend) Andrea Pirlo, but he remains out after testing positive for COVID-19. Still, only one Juventus player had more combined tackles and interceptions (seven) than the American.
McKennie will end up on fewer highlight reels than his counterparts on this list, but he works hard in the press and his defensive contributions in midfield are no less important for winning clubs. If he regains his health, he just might become a fixture under Pirlo.
Age: 21
Position: Defensive midfielder
Transfer value: $17.6 million (per transfermarkt)
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that someone who starred in MLS as a teenager scored a quarter-final winning goal in the Champions League as a 21-year-old, but Adams did just that this summer. Only five of his teammates have played more minutes in all competitions this season than Adams, who quickly is becoming a fixture for the current Bundesliga leaders.
Adams has been highly disruptive this season, winning more tackles (eight) than any of his teammates in the Bundesliga this season. He previously said he tried to emulate N'Golo Kante's game, and Adams has the tools to follow in the Frenchman's footsteps.
Leipzig are showing no signs of slowing down this season, even with Timo Werner now playing alongside Pulisic. It's still Bayern Munich's title to lose, but Adams is playing a vital role for the current Bundesliga leaders. If Leipzing ends Bayern's reign, Adams will be a big reason why.
Age: 19
Position: Right back
Transfer value: $22 million (per transfermarkt)
You'll find none of the xenophobia often reserved for American players born abroad, as Dest was just outside Amsterdam to a Surinamese-American father and a Dutch mother, in this column. Some of the best players in the player pool were born abroad -- often, as the children of a veteran of the armed forces, like Dest's father -- and they're no less American than their teammates born on U.S. soil.
Dest has all of them beat, no matter where they were born, as the first American ever to start for Barcelona in La Liga and the Champions League. The Catalan club battled Bayern Munich for his signature in the transfer window, with Dest following in Johan Cruyff's footsteps in joining Barcelona from Ajax -- all before suiting up for the U.S. Men's National Team in a competitive fixture and, oh yeah, turning 20.
Considering Barcelona's stature, Dest carries expectations unlike anyone else on this list. Barcelona views him as a long-awaited Dani Alves successor, and for good reason since Dest is one of the best young attacking fullbacks in the world. If this list was compiled a year from now, it would be no surprise for him to top it.
Age: 17
Position: Attacking midfielder
Transfer value: $16.5 million (per transfermarkt)
Stop me if you've heard this before: An American teenager is emerging as a star for Borussia Dortmund. Earlier this year, Reyna took Pulisic's crown as the youngest player to appear in and assist a goal during a Champions League match. He might yet better Pulisic's own time in Germany.
In seven matches in all competitions this season, Reyna has scored two goals and assisted four more. In 43 matches in all competitions during his age-17 season, Pulisic scored five and assisted 10. As it stands right now, Reyna's non-penalty expected goals and assists per 90 minutes (0.44) in the Bundesliga is slightly higher than Pulisic's mark during his last season in the league (0.43).
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland wasn't that hyperbolic nicknaming Reyna "The American Dream," though Reyna still needs to performat this level over a full season before he can top this list.
Age: 22
Position: Winger
Transfer value: $73.1 million (2019 fee to join Chelsea)
This is a boring answer, but who else could it be? His first Chelsea goals were in a hat trick, and he arguably was the best player in the Premier League during Project Restart. Pulisic scored five goals and assisted two others in all competitions once play resumed in England in June, and an injury in the FA Cup Final -- where he became the first American to score -- somewhat delayed his integration into Chelsea's side this season.
At 22, Pulisic still is fairly far away from what are the peak years for most attacking players. He already is the USMNT's captain and best player despite not being old enough to rent a car in the U.S., and it's hard to imagine him ceding the armband anytime soon.
Pulisic is surrounded by more American talent in Europe than any other point in his professional career, but he remains at the head of the class for good reason.
