Chelsea attacker Christian Pulisic is switching shirts in time for the start of the season. The United States international has been entrusted with the iconic shirt No. 10 that in the past was worn by legends such as Mark Hughes, Eden Hazard, and Willian - the last to proudly don the number before leaving for Arsenal.
Pulisic getting the No. 10 is some form of a reward for his impressive season debut with the Blues. The American impressed Chelsea manager Frank Lampard in that campaign and the player proved his quality by scoring 11 goals, including a hat-trick.
Chelsea finished the season in Top 4 of the Premier League table and the team earned a ticket to the Champions League. Lampard said his sides' successful run was in part due to Pulisic and the boss assured the American of a spot on the first-team.
To serve as a prize too for the 21-year-old winger, Metro said Lampard is giving the No. 10 to Pulisic, who will be pressured to live up to the jersey's prestige. As mentioned, the storied shirt saw the likes of Hazard and Willian making their marks on Stamford Bridge before heading in a different direction.
The mantle is now on the rising American star, who has been touted as possibly one of the few Americans that will make it big in European football.
However, Pulisic wearing the No. 10 shirt is not without complications. His teammate Callum Hudson-Odoi will likely be disappointed by Lampard's decision as the English has long been campaigning to get the number. The report noted that the 19-year-old even attaches the tag on his social media handles.
In any case, new players will be in familiar Chelsea shirts as their previous owners have moved on. Striker Timo Werner is on No. 11 since Pedro is no longer with the roster.
Pricy acquisition Kai Havertz is lined up for the No. 29 shirt, which is favored by the German in his young and flourishing career. But Havertz will need to wait first for the completion of Fikayo Tomori's reported move away from Chelsea. The center-back has the number on his back for now.
Fresh recruit Hakim Ziyech will be the new No. 22, which was Pulisic's shirt last season. Already, the Moroccan wore the jersey in a friendly match and is expected to make it official in Chelsea's first Premier Game against Brighton.
Pulisic suffered an injury in the FA Cup final match, which Arsenal won, but according to CBS Sports, "the American is fit and ready to play, way ahead of schedule." As promised by Lampard, the left-winger is set to start for the Chelsea squad that is deemed to make a run for the title in the campaign.
