Christian Pulisic will not return to action in 2024 after AC Milan head coach Paulo Fonseca announced on Saturday that the US winger had suffered a new injury complaint.

Pulisic was expected to make his comeback from a calf problem in Sunday’s Serie A clash against Roma, with Milan looking to improve their situation after slipping to eighth in the table.

However, Fonseca said Pulisic had suffered an ankle problem during his rehab and would miss at least the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final against Juventus in Saudi Arabia on January 3.

“I expected to have Pulisic,” Fonseca told reporters. “He is doing well, he has recovered from his calf problem, but for the last two days he has had an ankle problem. It arose in the recovery process and he is not ready to play (Sunday), not even for the bench.”

Milan have been plagued by several injuries and were without eight regular players in their 1-0 win over Verona last week. Pulisic is the team’s top goalscorer and has been heavily linked with a new contract that could tie him to the club until past his 30th birthday.

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He’s not the only USMNT star on the treatment table either: Tim Weah is out until the new year with a hamstring injury, Sergino Dest is recovering from a damaged cruciate ligament and Folarin Balogun is scheduled to return from shoulder surgery in April. Aidan Morris (knee), Josh Sargent (groin) and Haji Wright (ankle) also missed time with their clubs.

Milan have a huge January ahead of them, with the final stages of the Supercoppa, a visit to Juventus on the 18th and two Champions League games.

(Top photo: Alex Grimm / Getty Images)