La Liga champions Real Madrid are reportedly tracking Belgian playmaker Charles De Ketelaere, whose market value is €30 million.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Charles De Ketelaere features on the radar of Real Madrid. The Belgian playmaker was a target for Los Blancos before joining AC Milan in the summer. And despite his struggles, he remains a target for Juni Calafat and Real Madrid.
Charles De Ketelaere has been one of the most highly-rated Belgian prospects in the past decade. The 21-year-old spent most of his formative years with Club Brugge before graduating to the first-team squad. And after a few years with the senior squad, he moved to Italy by joining AC Milan last summer.
The Belgian playmaker has failed to make his mark, falling below Brahim Diaz in the pecking order. The youngster has turned out 24 times for the Rossoneri and is yet to score his first goal for them. As a result, De Ketelaere’s market value has stagnated at €30 million. But the player remains on the radar of a few top clubs, including Real Madrid.
Real Madrid will enter the market for at least one attacking reinforcement in the summer. That is because Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio face uncertain futures at the Santiago Bernabeu. While Hazard’s struggles show no signs of ending, Asensio has entered the final six months of his deal.
Real Madrid will attempt to tie Asensio to a new contract before the season ends. But they may have to resort to the market for an attacker if the Spaniard decides to leave. Several players, including Kingsley Coman, have thus emerged on Real Madrid’s radar. And Charles De Ketelaere is also a viable target.
While De Ketelaere is not a like-for-like alternative to Coman, he can play out wide. In some ways, the Belgian playmaker will be a handy replacement for the versatile Marco Asensio. But Real Madrid will not prioritise signing the 21-year-old in the summer.
The AC Milan attacker will only become a candidate to reinforce the Real Madrid squad if the Merengues fail to sign their top targets. But the youngster can probably turn Real Madrid’s head by turning his fortunes around at AC Milan. It will be interesting to see how this story develops in the coming months.
