Atalanta have confirmed that Milan midfielder Charles De Ketelaere has joined them on loan from Milan with an option to buy. A statement on the clubs official website confirmed the news:
Charles De Ketelaere is an Atalanta player!
The 22-year-old Belgian joins the Club on loan with an option to make the move permanentAtalanta BC are delighted to announce the signing of Charles De Ketelaere from AC Milan on a temporary basis with an option to make the transfer permanent. De Ketelaere will wear the no. 17 shirt.
Born in Bruges on 10 March 2001, Charles is a left-footed Belgium international who plays as an attacking midfielder/forward.
De Ketelaere came through the youth ranks of Club Bruges, with whom he made an impact in the 2018-2019 season of the UEFA Youth League when he scored two goals – against Monaco and Borussia Dortmund – in the group stage. In the same season, he got a sneak peek at Italian football by participating in the Viareggio Cup and contributing two goals to reach the semi-finals.
After playing youth football, he made his first-team debut at just 18, as he featured in a Belgian Cup match in September 2019. His UEFA Champions League debut arrived just one month later when he started against Paris Saint Germain in the group stage. With 4 UCL appearances and 2 UEFA Europa League games against Manchester United, he ended his first season at senior level with 25 appearances in all competitions, contributing 2 goals and 2 assists.
In 2020/21 Charles registered 46 appearances, 5 goals and 8 assists, including his first European goals as he bagged home and away against Zenit in the Champions League group stage.
In 2020 he became the fifth footballer in history to win the ‘Belgian Talent of the Year’ award reserved for promising talents in all sports.
In the 2021-2022 season, he set his own record for goals, scoring 18 times (14 in the league and 4 in the national cup), as well as 10 assists between all competitions, which earned him the award for best young professional footballer of the year.
After winning three league titles, he left Club Brugge in the summer of 2022 to join AC Milan, with whom he made 40 appearances between league and domestic and international cups last season.
After being a regular of the Belgium national team at youth level from the Under-16 to the Under-21s – even playing in the Final Phase of the European Championship last June -, he made his senior national team debut in Belgium’s 2-1 victory over Switzerland in November 2020. His first goal came in his second appearance, as he found the back of the net against Italy in the UEFA Nations League third-place play-off final in October 2021. Finally, his World Cup debut dates back to Belgium’s match against Morocco on 27 November 2022.
Atalanta B.C. would like to extend a warm welcome to Charles and wish him the best of luck in his future personal and team endeavours as a Nerazzurro.
