Pulisic and the Fitness Equation: When the Medical Room Decides a Transfer's Future

San Siro, 78th minute. The score is still 0-0 against Venezia – a newly promoted side defending in numbers. AC Milan, the club that just sold attacking star Rafael Leao, are struggling to find a way through. On the bench, Christian Pulisic sits there, his eyes following every pass. He is not warming up, not being sent on. Only in the 86th minute, when Milan finally break the deadlock through a moment of individual brilliance, do we see Pulisic stand up and clap – like a spectator, not the club's most expected player. That image sums up Pulisic's entire story at Milan this season: an undeniable talent, but one caught between the medical room and a new coach's philosophy. And with contract renewal talks looming ahead, everything becomes far more complicated than a routine injury case. Context: The 2026-26 season began with major upheaval at Milan. Ruben Amorim – the Portuguese coach – was appointed with a high-intensity pressing philosophy and a merit-based selection policy. He stated clearly: "The players who are doing well play. The ones who can make the difference are used." That statement sounds fair, but for Pulisic, it is a warning. In the previous three seasons, Pulisic was Milan's brightest star. In 2026-24, he scored 15 goals and provided 10 assists across all competitions, becoming the attacking soul. In 2026-25, despite injury setbacks, he still managed 12 goals and 7 assists. But this season, everything collapsed. A bone oedema injury in the junction area between the tibia and fibula of his right leg caused him to miss the early part of the season. And upon return, he no longer receives the same preferential treatment. The harsh truth is: Pulisic is not fit enough to meet Amorim's demands. The Portuguese coach's pressing system requires extremely high running intensity, constant sprinting ability, and absolute tactical discipline. For a player just recovering from bone oedema – a stress-related bone injury – demanding immediate 100% fitness is unrealistic. This injury not only affects acceleration but also makes a player lose confidence when executing explosive movements. But what is more striking is how Milan handles this situation. In the Venezia match, despite the team struggling against a packed defence, Amorim did not use Pulisic. Instead, he brought on young players like Cisse and Loftus-Cheek – those who have proven their fitness and tactical compliance. This sends a clear message: at Milan under Amorim, no one gets priority based on reputation alone. This leads to a bigger issue: Pulisic's contract future. His current deal runs until 2027, with a net salary of €4 million per season. However, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Pulisic's agents have requested a new salary of up to €8 million net – a doubling. This is an ambitious figure, reflecting Pulisic's commercial value in the US market, where he is an icon. Milan faces a difficult equation. On one hand, Pulisic is central to owner Gerry Cardinale's sporting and commercial project – one that aims to tap into the US market to boost club revenue. On the other hand, the club does not want to hand a lucrative contract to a player who has yet to prove his fitness and form. Their answer: "We want answers on the pitch first." This is a rational management stance, but it creates a vicious cycle. Pulisic needs to play to prove his worth, but he is not playing because he has not proven his fitness. And without playing time, he cannot regain his sharpness and full fitness. This is a trap many talented players fall into after injury. There is a counter-intuitive angle here that I want to emphasize: Pulisic being benched may not be a negative signal, but rather an opportunity for him to restructure his career. In Amorim's system, there is no room for players who rely solely on moments of brilliance. This system demands endurance, discipline, and continuous pressing. If Pulisic can adapt – if he can learn to become a cog in the machine rather than just a standalone star – he will become far more valuable. But the bigger question is: is Pulisic willing to accept that role? He is used to having teams built around him, from Chelsea to Milan. At 27 – the peak age for a player – he stands at the most important crossroads of his career. Either he accepts the challenge, adapts to the new system, and becomes a more complete version of himself. Or he continues to fight the system and risks being marginalized. The upcoming match against Juventus will be a crucial test. Will Pulisic get minutes from the bench? Can he make a difference in a big game? The answers will shape not only his future at Milan but also his value on the transfer market. There is a detail few notice: Milan selling Leao to Galatasaray is not just a financial decision. It is a signal that the club is restructuring the squad. They are looking for new leaders in attack, and Pulisic – with his experience and class – is the top candidate. But to become a leader, he must be on the pitch. My experience following matches tells me one thing: players who overcome this difficult phase are usually those who accept reality, work hard, and patiently wait for their opportunity. They do not rush, do not demand privileges. They simply go out, prove their worth, and make the coach unable to ignore them. Pulisic stands before that opportunity. But time waits for no one. Every week that passes without playing time, his transfer value decreases slightly. And if the renewal talks fail to reach an agreement, Milan may have to sell him in summer 2026 to avoid losing him for free in 2027. There is a question I always ask myself when witnessing situations like this: is modern football – with its congested schedule, high intensity, and commercial pressure – creating conditions that make sustainable player development difficult? Or are we witnessing an inevitable shift, where fitness and tactical compliance are placed above individual talent? The answer may lie with Pulisic himself. If he succeeds in adapting to Amorim's system, he will prove that talent and discipline can coexist. If he fails, he will become a classic example of how raw talent alone is not enough in modern football. But one thing is certain: Pulisic's battle is not just against injury. It is a battle with himself – with his ego, his patience, his ability to accept that the road back to the top is never a straight line. And in that battle, the medical room is not the only place that decides one's fate. The player's own heart and mind are the decisive factors.