Christian Pulisic's Chelsea Status Doesn't Bode Well for His USMNT Availability

After what appeared to be a midweek turn for the better, Christian Pulisic's availability for U.S. men's national team camp next week doesn't look so great again.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard ruled Pulisic out for the club's match on Saturday vs. Sheffield United, with the American star still battling a hamstring injury he suffered in bizarre fashion last weekend. Pulisic slipped during pregame warmups for Chelsea's win over Burnley, and for a player who has combated muscle injuries throughout his young career, his frustration was quite evident as he walked off the field and threw his training pinny to the ground.

Scans in the days that followed revealed an injury that was not deemed serious, but after his return to training in a small capacity this week, it's clear he's not ready to return yet.

"He is not fit to play. He is still suffering with his hamstring," Lampard said in his prematch remarks on Friday. "He is not training at the moment.

"To be clear, he trained at a low level in midweek when I made those quotes [on his return], and he wasn't comfortable, so we have to keep looking for the right solution."

The U.S. is gathering in the U.K. next week ahead of friendlies vs. Wales and Panama, and it makes perfect sense for Pulisic to still join the group, but his role is unlikely to be a significant one if he's unable to train and play for his club.

“I think this week will determine that," Berhalter said on Tuesday, when asked what he anticipated for Pulisic's potential availability. "They have a Champions League game [Wednesday vs. Rennes] and then they have a league game, and his participation this week with Chelsea will largely determine what he'll be able to do with us.”

Berhalter also related to Pulisic's injury woes, detailing his own past as a player and what it takes to overcome continued setbacks.

“In regards to Christian, I've been there myself, I've been in a spot where you have an injury and you're trying to shake it and then you come back and that period when you're coming back, you are a little bit vulnerable," Berhalter said. "I know Chelsea is doing every single thing they can, I know he's doing every single thing he can, I know he's really focused and dedicated on staying fit and I believe that he will get to this level of resistance where he stays fit, but building that up sometimes is challenging. I think that could be a phase that he's in right now. I know that they could use him, I know he's a fantastic player, it's been great to see what he's been doing, but he's in good hands. He's in good hands with the club and they're doing everything they can get him on the field."

LA Galaxy star Sebastian Lletget was called into camp on Thursday evening as a replacement for Werder Bremen forward Josh Sargent, who won't be able to join due to coronavirus restrictions in the club's region in Germany. Werder Bremen only released the two players who do not need to leave the country for international duty, refusing all other call-ups for its players. Lletget, an attacking midfielder, is more of a like-for-like replacement for someone like Pulisic than he is for Sargent, another clue that Pulisic's ability to take part at full capacity was compromised.

The U.S. will face Wales on Nov. 12 in Cardiff before taking on Concacaf foe Panama in Austria on Nov. 16 to cap the first men's national team camp since the winter and the first with a full complement of Europe-based players in a year.