Charles De Ketelaere started his season well with Atalanta. A few assists, some important performances, but then came the 'dip'. The aura around the Belgian seems to have already faded, writes Calciomercato.com.
As per the source, Charles is confirming all the impressions from his first year at Milan: the potential of a great player is there, as are some moments of brilliance, but character-wise, the Belgian is still too fragile.
At the first misstep, he risks falling back into negativity. Now it's up to the former Bruges player to prove that the word 'reaction' is part of his football vocabulary.
It should be noted, however, that Atalanta management has already paid 3 million euros for the loan move of the former Club Brugge talent. The buy-option is set at 23 million euros plus 4 million in bonuses, a figure which would allow AC Milan to not register a loss in their books for the remaining balance of the Belgian's card after the investment made in the summer of 2022, which was at 35 million euros.
There's no clause for a counter-buyout, but a percentage has been included in the player's future resale, amounting to 10%.
Atalanta's stance regarding AC Milan loanee Charles De Ketelaere revealed:
Coach Gian Piero Gasperini has shown confidence in him since the first day of training camp, convinced that a player with such technical and physical attributes could thrive in Atalanta's environment and footballing philosophy.
The intention is to persist with him in the upcoming matches because, besides being an asset, Charles De Ketelaere remains a gamble that the Atalanta club is determined to win at all costs.
The chances of a permanent acquisition from Milan for the Belgian are still high. However, and obviously, the final decision will solely be dictated by the performances on the field.
