Christian Pulisic to MLS this summer? Don't rule out these 5 teams | OneFootball

Before we entertain the possibility of Christian Pulisic playing in Major League Soccer — a move he bypassed by starting his pro career with Borussia Dortmund at 17 — we should first establish the current state of the rumor mill.

While he’s excelled at AC Milan, his reported stalling over signing a new contract, combined with questions about a new manager at the Italian club, has ignited a wave of speculation about whether Pulisic might exit for a new challenge.

And with Pulisic skipping out of next month’s Concacaf Gold Cup competition for the U.S. men’s national team, having played a glut of games for club and country over the last year-plus, the 26-year-old could theoretically have the time to answer a suitor’s call and transition to a new team.

Destinations elsewhere in Italy or back to England are far more likely for Pulisic, but would he want to go to MLS, he and his agent would need to factor in the North American league’s labyrinthine roster rules to figure out how it would work.

How many designated players are allowed per team?

Let’s first grant that there has been creative salary budgeting in MLS occasionally — most notably allowing Inter Miami to build around Lionel Messi, with both Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez toggling between Designated Player and Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) player roster slots. But Pulisic would command a salary (not to mention a transfer fee) that would most certainly make him a Designated Player; no other scenario seems plausible.

MLS recently made the question of how many designated players per team a little more complicated. After years of it being three per team, with some lobbying the league to allow a fourth, MLS has now allowed for two DP paths. The more traditional one allows for up to three DPs and three Under 22 Initiative (U22) players, whereas a new pathway allows for up to two DPs, four U22s, and an additional $2 million in General Allocation Money to help front offices bolster the middle tier of a roster.

While clubs lock into a roster build at the start of the season, it can now change like a wayward college student’s major; a new MLS rule allows for a team to change from a 2-4 to a 3-3 or vice versa between July 1 and the end of the summer transfer window (which, in 2025, is August 21).

To figure out where in MLS Pulisic could go, we have to start with what teams have either open DP spots or the ability to switch from a 2-4 to a 3-3 to open up a DP spot. More than half the league’s teams fit that description, though — they include:

You might immediately consider eliminating the three Canadian teams from the list, though I would contend that the high-flying Whitecaps, with American striker Brian White being a big part of their success, could be a fun destination for Pulisic, and could be the move that turns a pleasant playoff-bound surprise into an MLS Cup favorite. Still, of the possibilities listed, the five that stand out are all American clubs. They are:

Chicago Fire

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The Fire have been getting good performances out of current Designated Players Jonathan Bamba and Hugo Cuypers this season, so Pulisic could be an exciting addition to that offense to transform them from playoff hopefuls to an Eastern Conference favorite. And, of course, for some delicious narrative, he could reunite with former USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter, wearing a variant of the red, white and blue he wears for the national team.

FC Cincinnati

While FCC has only two Designated Players, general manager Chris Albright has built up a formidable roster on the strength of 11 TAM players (and a 12th on loan), and they’re one of four legitimate Supporters’ Shield candidates. Adding Pulisic to one of the league’s best teams (with one of the liveliest home atmospheres to boot) would be must-watch TV.

Columbus Crew

Wilfried Nancy might be the most fun and innovative coach in MLS right now. He’s also possibly the most likely MLS coach to move to Europe as soon as an appealing-to-him job comes along. He’s already achieved a few milestones with the Crew — MLS Cup, Leagues Cup, Coach of the Year — and he got to the finals of the Concacaf Champions Cup, upon which his team played like a team that was laid out with food poisoning because indeed it was.

Maybe getting to coach Pulisic wouldn’t be enticing enough for Nancy to stay. But it might work.

Minnesota United

The Loons are one of the better and more fun teams in the league this season, and they’ve got especially good wingbacks that would be a delight for Pulisic to play with. And with MLS deciding to keep with a spring-to-fall schedule, there’s the added bonus of coming to the Twin Cities in the summer, where, sure, it’s hot, but it’s not Texas or Florida hot.

San Diego FC

It’s not just about the weather and the vibes, though living in San Diego is certainly more of a draw than London rain would be. San Diego’s been a surprisingly good expansion team with an intriguing playing style, and though you’d be adding a winger to what is essentially two DP wingers in Hirving Lozano and Andres Dreyer, that would make for a formidable front three. Plus, you’d have some familiarity for Pulisic in the form of fellow USMNT-er Luca de la Torre.

Having an American and Mexican star playing in the same front line would make SDFC even more fun to watch than they already are.