Pulisic’s Surprise New Role at Milan – Game-Changer for the USMNT?

Christian Pulisic might have to deal with a new role at Milan. Manager Massimiliano Allegri tested a new formation in the most recent friendly match against Leeds United — and in this tactical setup, Pulisic is no longer a winger.

As Milan prepares for a new season without European competitions, the team can now fully focus on Italy’s domestic tournaments. The aim is to go after every possible domestic title — especially Serie A — with the added advantage of having more rest between games.

In the recent match against Leeds United and Chelsea, Allegri experimented with a 3-5-2 (or occasionally a 3-5-1-1) as the match went on. In this system, Pulisic doesn't fit as one of the two forwards; instead, he’s responsible for operating on the right side of the five-man midfield line. At times, he also has to shift into a right-back role when needed.

For now, Pulisic doesn’t seem to have a locked position in this setup, which could mean he either plays as one of the forwards or doesn’t feature at all when Milan uses this formation.

With the team still adjusting, midfielders like Luka Modric and Ruben Loftus-Cheek appear more likely to start, while the other three spots are still up for grabs. Meanwhile, the two forwards in this formation would be Rafael Leão and Tammy Abraham.

Since last season, Pulisic has often been used in more central roles at Milan, so if he’s not deployed as a winger, he might end up as a “false 9” in this system. However, Allegri will also need to figure out how to fit in Alexis Saelemaekers and Rafael Leão — both considered undisputed starters before the season kicked off.