Christian Pulisic had to put out a statement insisting there was no conflict between him and AC Milan manager Sergio Conceicao. It was pretty clear how he felt:
"I have never argued with the coach and I have never asked to leave," he said, via Milan's social channels, "I am very happy at Milan and I want to continue wearing this shirt. Reading these lies is unacceptable, but let's all continue to remain united and fight together on the pitch, for the club and for our fans."
And perhaps that is the truth. The image conjured up by the rumors of discontent in the Italian press is that of a livid kid from Pensylvannia, storming into his coach's office and demanding a tactical rethink. Maybe. Or maybe he was argumentative at training, refused to partake in a drill, or chewed out a teammate.
Or, more likely, it's none of those things, and Pulisic is just going through a bit of a slump under a coach who can't get the best out of him - as Milan stumbles in Serie A after crashing out of Champions League.
Regardless of the specifics, though, the fact that there is a chatter alone speaks to a broader issue: not all is well for Pulisic in Milan. And that happens in sports. A new coach comes in. Fresh ideas are brought to the table. A new configuration gets the best out of some, and perhaps takes some of the spark out of others.
The Pulisic case at Milan, though, is a curious one. This is not a player offered limited chances as much as one being siphoned out of the attack that he once ran all together. In recent months, Christian Pulisic, superstar, has become Christian Pulisic, peripheral presence.
