Chelsea manager Graham Potter has insisted that attacker Christian Pulisic will not be leaving the club in the January transfer window.
The USA international has struggled to live up to expectations at Stamford Bridge since making the move from Borussia Dortmund in 2019.
Pulisic has played second fiddle to the likes of Mason Mount, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz this term, although he still enjoyed a positive World Cup period with the USA.
The 24-year-old scored once and provided two assists at the Stars and Stripes reached the last 16, and he has been linked with a host of Premier League sides in recent weeks.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United are all said to have taken a liking to Pulisic, although he is now set to spend several weeks on the sidelines with a knee injury.
The attacker has now entered the final 18 months of his deal at Stamford Bridge, but Potter does not expect the American to seek pastures new during the winter window.
Speaking to the press ahead of Sunday's Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace, Potter said: "We never considered anything about that [a loan] anyway but he is a couple of months out.
"Yes, he is disappointed. He is optimistic about coming back quicker than two months. He is in that phase with his fingers crossed and hoping his rehab goes well."
Pulisic has amassed 26 goals and 21 assists in 136 appearances for the Blues in all competitions, but he has only managed to score once and set up two more in 21 games this season.
However, the ex-Dortmund starlet had begun to enjoy a spate of starts before his injury, featuring from the off against Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City in league action.
Pulisic is one of a complete XI of players currently absent for Chelsea, who lost loan signing Joao Felix to a three-game ban following his red card on his debut in Thursday's 2-1 defeat to Fulham.
Wesley Fofana, Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Edouard Mendy, Armando Broja, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Sterling are also confined to the infirmary, while Denis Zakaria was forced off in the loss at Craven Cottage.
Despite Chelsea's perennial injury problems up front, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was only named on the bench against Fulham amid reports that he is desperate to leave Stamford Bridge.
However, Potter believes that the 33-year-old still has a big part to play this season, saying: "Yes, he is here. He had a problem with his back after Manchester City. That's why he was absent against Man City.
"We just went for Kai [Havertz, against Fulham]. He was in our squad, he is important to us and I am sure he can help us going forward."
Chelsea will aim to avoid a fourth straight defeat in all tournaments when they take on London rivals Crystal Palace in Sunday's Premier League battle. body check tags ::
