Is Christian Pulisic Exploding Into His Best Form Yet at AC Milan?

Don't say it too loudly, but Christian Pulisic appears to be rediscovering his best form at AC Milan, with the club reportedly preparing to hand him a contract extension in the near future.

Following a disappointing second half of the 2025–26 campaign and a low-key showing at the 2026 World Cup, Pulisic struggled to make an impact. He spent the opening three games of the new Serie A season on the bench as an unused substitute, hampered by a bone bruise and micro-fracture in his lower leg sustained over the summer — an ordeal that left him visibly "upset." However, since coming off the bench to assist Diego Moreira's goal in a dramatic 2–2 comeback draw against Lazio last month, he has featured in the starting lineup for each of Milan's last four Serie A fixtures.

Pulisic carried plenty of momentum into the September-October international break after breaking the deadlock in a 3–0 victory over Lecce on Sept. 20 — his first Milan goal since December 2025. Being omitted from U.S. men's national team boss Mauricio Pochettino's squad for four autumn friendlies may have stung his pride, but the additional rest appears to have worked wonders for his game.

His standout performance of the season so far arrived on Sunday against Udinese. Pulisic broke the deadlock at Bluenergy Stadium just six minutes in, timing his run to perfection to latch onto Luka Modrić's floated free kick in behind Udinese's defensive line, bringing the ball under control with an exquisite first touch before finishing past goalkeeper Maduka Okoye. He continued to torment the home side throughout, creating the most chances in the match alongside one other player (three) and registering the most touches in the opposition's penalty area (eight). Milan secured a 2–0 victory, with Pulisic claiming the man of the match award.

While Pulisic still has ground to cover — yet to make his mark on the European stage this season — the outlook is brightening considerably for "Captain America."

Pulisic Set for Pay Raise at Milan—Report

With Pulisic hitting his stride, it comes as little surprise that Milan are moving swiftly to lock him into a new long-term agreement.

His existing deal runs until 2027, with a one-year extension clause; however, talks between the two parties have been ongoing for the past eighteen months. According to Sky Sports Italia, Pulisic is now edging closer to a new contract worth €5 million ($5.5 million) per year plus bonuses through to 2031 — a notable step up from his current €4 million ($4.4 million) annual wage.

Pulisic has produced the finest numbers of his career since arriving in Italy, accumulating 44 goals and 28 assists across 141 appearances for Milan. By comparison, he registered 19 goals and 26 assists in 127 outings for Borussia Dortmund, and 26 goals and 21 assists in 145 appearances for Chelsea.

Now 28 years old, Pulisic has at last unlocked the star quality he always displayed at USMNT level but struggled to replicate consistently in Germany and England. The Rossoneri faithful have embraced him wholeheartedly, celebrating him as the club's very own "Captain America." Crucially, American owner Gerry Cardinale and new Portuguese head coach Ruben Amorim both view him as a cornerstone of the club's future ambitions.

"Pulisic is a truly gifted player. He fits perfectly into my vision of football," Amorim said during preseason. "I know what Pulisic brings to the table; he will have our full support at this club. I know he faced criticism following the World Cup exit, but I'm here to say we believe in him enormously, we have a clear plan to maximize all of his qualities, so I can tell you that Pulisic is absolutely vital to us."

Pulisic has already worn the colors of three of Europe's most storied clubs, yet one thing that has eluded him is managerial stability. Since the beginning of the 2022–23 season, he has worked under Thomas Tuchel, Bruno Saltor, Frank Lampard, Stefano Pioli, Paulo Fonseca, Sérgio Conceição, Massimiliano Allegri, and now Amorim. The question remains: can he finally find that consistency under Amorim and fulfill his world-class potential at the San Siro?