Charles de Ketelaere is making a ‘mistake’ choosing Serie A champions AC Milan over Premier League outfit Leeds United, former Dutch international Jan Mulder tells HUMO.
As of Thursday morning, it seems there is a chink of light at the end of a long and winding tunnel.
One of the summer’s most drawn-out transfer sagas is finally coming to a close, with Gazzetta dello Sport claiming that Milan could finally secure De Ketelaere’s sought-after signature in the coming hours.
The Serie A champions will pay £27 million, rising to £31 million, for the Belgium international. What’s more, De Ketelaere has agreed a five-year deal worth around £40,000-a-week at the San Siro.
But while even the most hard-nosed Leeds supporters will begrudgingly accept de Ketelaere’s stance – Milan can offer Champions League football, after all, plus have a terrific track record when it comes to turning promising youngsters into elite-level talents – Mulder wonders whether the Club Brugge talisman will come to regret turning his back on the Yorkshire giants.
Is Charles de Ketelaere making a ‘mistake’?
“Forgotten in the affair is the (interest) from the grey, industrial city of Leeds,” says Mulder.
A ‘grey, industrial city’? Mulder clearly hasn’t spent a Friday evening on the vibrant streets of Call Lane.
“Charles does not want to play football at a club who fought against relegation,” adds the one-time Ajax striker.
“But Leeds have played the best football in the world under (Marcelo) Bielsa in recent years. And (new boss Jesse Marsch), who wanted De Ketelaere and immediately promised the desired 40 million euros, plays just as offensively.
“Exactly the type of game that suits De Ketelaere.
“The Premier League, where the pace is fierce and the opposition fiercer, is better and far more attractive than the faded glory of Serie A. (Turning down Leeds is) the mistake of the year.”
According to The Athletic, Leeds planned to utilise De Ketelaere in a false nine role. The Belgium international scored 18 goals and provided 10 assists as Club Brugge sealed the Jupiler League title.
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