Charles de Ketelaere is already being labelled a Serie A ‘flop’ A after AC Milan fought off competition from Premier League outfit Leeds United for the Belgian international, via Gazzetta dello Sport.
It seems that some in Italy may be suffering from ‘short memory syndrome’.
After a difficult debut season at the San Siro, Rafael Leao was being written off in some quarters, only to become arguably the most feared forward in the whole of Serie A a few months later. Sandro Tonali had to endure his fair share of criticism too before bouncing back in 2021/22; a key cog in Stefan Pioli’s Scudetto winning machine.
The fact is that Milan have been here before. The criticism facing De Ketelaere may be understandable – he has failed to score in 25 games following his mega-money million arrival – but the former Club Brugge talisman would not be the first Milan player to endure a difficult start before rebounding dramatically in his second season.
Charles de Ketelaere struggling at AC Milan after Leeds United snub
“We have to be patient,” Milan legend Arrigo Sacchi tells Gazzetta dello Sport. “He is afraid to play. He enters (the pitch) with the anxiety of having to demonstrate his value. I hope he can bring out his qualities as soon as possible.
“Let us remember that foreign players always need time.”
Sacchi’s final point may be the most pertinent. And the Scudetto holders are not going to give up on a player they fought so hard to sign last summer; De Ketelaere choosing the Rossoneri despite having a £35 million bid on the table from Leeds United.
What’s more, many in Milan have spoken on numerous occasions about the need to give an inexperienced 21-year-old the time and space to adapt to his new home.
“He’s under great pressure. Because of the price paid, everyone has expectations,” one Zlatan Ibrahimovic tells Sport Mediaset.
“(De Ketelaere) is a talent, he has great potential. He just needs to find the right path to grow. He’s in another city, away from home. And he has to get used to it.
“He just has to unlock himself. Once he unlocks, everything starts.”
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