Chelsea are motoring along now in the transfer market. They are set to lose four players in one quick burst to the growing draw of the Saudi Pro League and are closing in on sales for another two. With 15 first team stars potentially exiting, having six on their way out before the end of June is a positive start.
There is the financial need to push these deals as well. June 30 is a soft deadline for accounting purposes that Chelsea are trying to meet, acting hastily to offload their overpaid and underperforming players.
This also has an impact on Mauricio Pochettino, who will start officially as head coach on July 1. The Argentine will no longer have to consider what to do with four players all over the age of 30 as he gets to work. N'Golo Kante's contract has not drawn on and Hakim Ziyech is set for the move away he was close to in January.
Kalidou Koulibaly's experiment has failed and all parties have accepted it. Edouard Mendy had his time in the sun but the moment is no longer right. Immediately, the loss of those players drops the average age of the squad to 24.7. With that quartet in it rises to 26.6.
Should the expected sales of Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Ruben Loftus Cheek and Kai Havertz as well as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang go through, then that would once more go down to 24. It leaves a much-reduced but also fresher squad available but questions of experience would remain, though.
In that group - which would by this time be down to 19 and is without the returning loanees or new signings - only five of them are over 24. As a 24-year-old in that camp, Christian Pulisic would suddenly be elevated to one of the more experienced heads.
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His time in senior football since a teenager is now over seven years and with matches in two countries at domestic level as well as a growing trophy haul for USMNT, Pulisic has been in Champions League finals, important matches and won competitions. There are few others that can match this that would be left behind.
However, unlike Koulibaly, Kante, Ziyech and Mendy there isn't a quick way out here. Pulisic is just 24 and unlikely to be dazzled by the money or the Saudi League like his older teammates. They are entering the dawns of their career and have a chance to create their names with this project, Pulisic is still seeking a top European experiment to further his still young time in senior football.
Although the wages would pose no issue to Middle Eastern wealth, the transfer fees paid for Chelsea's outgoing quartet - other than Kante on a free - are not as high as many had thought. After spending £30 million ($38m) on Ziyech in 2019 Chelsea will be paid just £6.8million ($8.7m) for him three years later.
Koulibaly was signed for £35m ($44.8m) just 12 months ago and a much smaller fee is incoming for him with, along with Mendy, the total amount Chelsea can expect to recoup will be around $51m from the three transfers. Although, Pulisic has just two years remaining on his contract and is said to be available for a measly £20million ($24m), for a younger player Chelsea may well be after more.
As for the player, there are more attractive options across the continent. AC Milan, Napoli and Juventus are all in the mix but Italian football has its issues that could slow down a move for the USA star.
He is still able to compete at the top level and is not yet ready to throw in the towel and accept the fate. Chelsea will have to work around this and ensure that other options are being considered because unlike his teammates, the Saudi way out is hardly an option here.
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