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USMNT star Christian Pulisic one of 15 Chelsea players Mauricio Pochettino could offload this summer as new boss seeks to trim squad

U.S. men's national team star Christian Pulisic is reportedly among fifteen players new Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino could offload this summer.

Pulisic has had disappointing Chelsea career
One of 15 players facing exit
Pochettino needs at least 10 gone

WHAT HAPPENED? The Hershey-born winger arrived from Borussia Dortmund in 2019 with a lot of fanfare but has largely failed to live up to the billing in west London. Pulisic has starred in several bright cameos for the Blues, including a hat-trick against Burnley in his debut season and an assist against Real Madrid in the semi-final of Chelsea's triumphant 2021 Champions League run. But it appears now is the time for Pulisic to move on, having recently been linked with Juventus - while Manchester United, Newcastle and Napoli are also in contention.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The USMNT star features in a list of up to fifteen players that could leave the club this summer, according to the Daily Mail. Chelsea will try to recoup some of the £121m suffered in annual losses, while also trimming their squad down for the imminent arrival of Pochettino. Alongside Pulisic, Mateo Kovacic, Hakim Ziyech, N'Golo Kante, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Cesar Azpilicueta, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Mason Mount, Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could also face the chop.

AND WHAT'S MORE: As part of this mass clear-out, on-loan star Denis Zakaria will return to Juventus after a year at Stamford Bridge. Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo confirmed on Tuesday that Pochettino had decided to send Joao Felix back to Spain after his six-month loan, which makes up the 15 stars. It is thought that at least 10 players will need to leave to make the situation manageable for the Argentine coach, with the likes of Pulisic, Aubameyang, Ziyech, Mendy and Hudson-Odoi considered near-certainties to leave.

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WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA? From that shortlist, it is thought that Pochettino wants to keep hold of Mount, who remains in a contract standoff with his boyhood club. In the incomings department, talks are reportedly in advanced talks with Sporting midfielder Manuel Ugarte, as this summer promises to be another busy one at Stamford Bridge.