Brian McBride feels Christian Pulisic may have his sights set very high when the time comes to leave Borussia Dortmund.
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic has not considered any future moves and will not until after the World Cup next summer, a source close to the U.S. international said.
Pulisic has recently been linked once again with a move to Liverpool, though the player himself told Sport Bild this week that he was not thinking about a transfer this summer.
ESPN FC analyst Brian McBride, a former U.S. international, said in response that he believed Pulisic was holding out in the expectation that a club like Real Madrid or Barcelona might come calling in the future.
But a source with knowledge of Pulisic's future plans said the 18-year-old has not made any plans beyond the upcoming season with Dortmund.
"There has been zero thought regarding a move," the source said. "The idea is for Pulisic to play through the World Cup and then take stock at that time."
Christian Pulisic appears set to have a larger role at Dortmund this season.
There are a number of reasons why Pulisic is staying put. With less than a year to go until the 2018 World Cup, Pulisic is in a nearly ideal situation with a Dortmund side that not only is one of the best teams in the Bundesliga, but one that is looking forward to another season of Champions League participation.
And with Ousmane Dembele angling for a move to Barcelona, and Marco Reus looking at a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury earlier this month, Pulisic's playing time is poised to go up. Switching clubs at this stage would make his situation far less settled.
Pulisic has become an increasingly important figure for the U.S. national team over the past 12 months. Five of his seven international goals have come in World Cup qualifiers, helping the Americans revive their World Cup qualifying campaign.
The same is true of his time with Dortmund, as last season he recorded five goals and 13 assists in 43 league and cup appearances last season.
Pulisic acknowledged the Liverpool reports in speaking to Sport Bild but said he was focused on the season ahead with Dortmund.
"Yes, I have read that as well. What can I say? I'm focused on the start of the season," he said. "I'll lay it on the line for you: I am not thinking about changing clubs. After all, I only signed a new deal through to 2020 in January. I am very happy at Dortmund."
Jeff Carlisle covers MLS and the U.S. national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @JeffreyCarlisle.
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Source: espn.co.uk