Leeds United have reportedly made a significant €40 million bid to sign Club Brugge star Charles De Ketelaere.
According to 90 Min, Premier League side Leeds United have made a bid of €40 million to sign Belgian sensation Charles De Ketelaere in the ongoing summer transfer window.
The 21-year-old is one of the brightest young talents in Europe and is ready to take the next step in his career. A move to the Premier League will be the ideal step for him to develop further and fulfil his potential.
Jesse Marsch’s side are going through a summer revamp of sorts and have lost arguably their two standout players, Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha to Manchester City and Barcelona, respectively. This allows the Leeds boss to rebuild the side in his image, and he has so far enjoyed an excellent summer.
Several players have arrived at Elland Road this summer, namely Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca. The Whites, however, lack a playmaker who can cleave open defences and set the ball rolling in attack while playing through the centre.
It is in such a position that De Ketelaere thrives in. The Belgian’s vision coupled with his eye for a pass makes him the ideal player to be deployed as an attacking midfielder. His tendency to drift to the right could see him link up well with the new-look right-flank of Sinisterra and Kristensen. It allows Marsch to overload his right-wing, making life difficult for opposing defences.
Leeds have been keeping tabs on De Ketelaere for a while now, but the 21-year-old appeared to be less than enthusiastic about moving to Elland Road. He was heavily linked with a move to Serie A champions AC Milan, who have also been keeping an eye on his progress.
Club Brugge are open to a sale and are seeking €35 million for their playmaker’s services. Milan, for their part, are unwilling to meet it, and this firmly puts the ball in Leeds’ court. The Yorkshire outfit have now tabled a new bid of €40 million in hopes of landing the Belgian international.
If Milan fail to rise to the demands of landing him, De Ketelaere will do well to move to Leeds. Marsch has a track record of developing youth, and the young Belgian could thrive under the former RB Leipzig boss’s guidance.
More so, plying his talents in the Premier League will take his reputation to a larger and wider audience. A move to Yorkshire would be a win-win for all parties. Leeds will land themselves a promising young talent while De Ketelaere can now impress a larger audience and continue his development away from the spotlight.