West Ham United and Arsenal Interested in Signing Atalanta’s Charles De Ketelaere
According to Caught Offside, West Ham United and Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Atalanta’s young talent, Charles De Ketelaere.
The Hammers had a successful period under David Moyes’ management, even winning the Conference League. However, following the Scotsman’s departure, the team has faced turmoil this season. Julen Lopetegui was initially appointed as the new manager, but the East London club decided to part ways with him, and Graham Potter has now been brought in as the new boss. Despite these changes, the team’s performance has not improved significantly.
Now, the report suggests that West Ham have identified De Ketelaere as a ‘concrete’ option to potentially replace Lucas Paqueta, who has been linked with a move away from the club.
Fierce Competition for De Ketelaere’s Signature
However, Arsenal are also keen on acquiring the services of the 23-year-old Belgian forward. Additionally, several other Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Newcastle United, and Manchester City, are said to be interested in the player.
De Ketelaere, who is valued at around £31 million by Transfermarkt, is set to enter the final two years of his current contract with Atalanta. This could make the Italian club open to the idea of letting him leave next summer to maximize the profit from his departure.
After a difficult spell at AC Milan, De Ketelaere has flourished in Serie A since joining Atalanta. In 38 appearances across all competitions this season, he has scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists.
The Belgian forward is left-footed and can play both as a center-forward and in the attacking midfield role. He is good in the air, can thread passes through the lines, and is also efficient in his finishing.
Arsenal, who have Martin Odegaard as their main attacking midfielder and have seen the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri, may not need to spend significantly to bolster this position next summer. However, it will be interesting to see whether the North London club or the East London club eventually go head-to-head over the potential signing of De Ketelaere during the upcoming transfer window.
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