Man Utd 'ready to sign Pulisic' with Chelsea star keen for transfer to happen

Manchester United want to sign Chelsea winger and United States international captain Christian Pulisic on a season-long loan deal, according to reports.

Pulisic is not a first-choice starter at the Blues this season after the club made Raheem Sterling their opening signing of the summer as he joined in a £47.5million deal from Manchester City. It had been thought that the exits of Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku may allow the American more starting opportunities this campaign, but this has not yet materialised with the club keen on signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona.

The 23-year-old has only started 50 Premier League matches across his three seasons at Stamford Bridge with that dipping to just 13 starts last campaign. Pulisic has been utilised from the bench in both of Chelsea's league outings this season.

Pulisic is behind Sterling, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount - although the futures of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Hakim Ziyech are both unclear, while Chelsea want to sign Anthony Gordon from Everton. However, the player is targeting regular first-team football ahead of this winter's World Cup in Qatar - while he has been utilised in an unfamiliar wing-back role in west London.

A report in The Athletic now outlines how United want to bring the US international to Old Trafford on a loan deal and they have been given encouragement that the player is open to the move, preferring the Red Devils ahead of other interested clubs, such as Newcastle and Juventus.

Pulisic has previously admitted that he was a boyhood fan of the Red Devils: "I was a big Manchester United fan when I was younger. I loved to watch Rooney. I wouldn't say I'm a similar player, though. I think his passion for the game is something you don't see much in players. That's what I loved about him."

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When asked about the arrival of Sterling at Stamford Bridge earlier this summer and the enhanced competition, Pulisic told ESPN FC: "Great quality. We're really excited about it. The beautiful thing about being at a club like this is the competition every single day. We all thrive competing with each other in training and getting to play with each other is just another great addition to the team.

"It doesn't change a whole lot [for me], I'm still going to have to play hard and earn my position, just like I did before, nothing crazy has changed. This is Chelsea, this is what you signed up for, this is the kind of club it is with the calibre of players that we have."