• USA forward to be loaned back until end of season
• Pulisic had refused to sign new Dortmund contract
Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that
Christian Pulisic will join
Chelsea for €64m (£58m), with the United States forward to be loaned back to the Bundesliga leaders until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old, who moved to Germany as a teenager and has made more than 80 appearances for Dortmund, admitted in November that he hoped to play in the Premier League having refused to sign an extension to his existing contract.
“It was always Christian’s dream to play in the Premier League,” said BVB’s sporting director, Michael Zorc. “That certainly has to do with his American background, and as a result we were unable to extend his contract. Against this background, we have decided to accept an extremely lucrative bid by Chelsea, given the low contract maturity.
“Christian Pulisic is a character perfect player. I am sure that in the coming months he will do everything in his power to bring his high quality to the team and to achieve his sporting goals with his teammates at Borussia Dortmund.”
Speaking to Chelsea’s website, Pulisic said it was “a privilege to have signed for such a legendary club and I look forward to working hard towards being a contributor to their team of world class players”.
He later added in a statement: “[I am] looking forward to working with Maurizio Sarri and his technical team. But for the next six months, it’s all BVB! Please do not doubt my passion, determination and my 110% commitment to the tea, right until the last ball is kicked this season. We all feel that this is ‘our year’ and we are determined to achieve the best possible results in all competitions.”
He becomes the most expensive American player in history, with Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia stating her delight to have signed “one of Europe’s most sought-after young players”.
“Christian has shown his quality during a fantastic spell in Germany and at just 20, we believe he has the potential to become an important Chelsea player for many years to come,” she said. “We look forward to welcoming him to Stamford Bridge in the summer and wish him and Dortmund every success for the remainder of the season.’