Atalanta and Milan will soon meet at the negotiating table to discuss the future of resurgent forward Charles De Ketelaere. La Dea CEO Luca Percassi has confirmed the club’s ambition to turn the Belgian’s loan switch permanent.
“De Ketelaere’s redemption? We finished the league yesterday. In the next few days, we will meet with Milan,” the Atalanta executive said, as quoted by Calciomercato. “We will have the opportunity to talk and pick up where we left off, knowing how well Charles has done.”
Following a dreadful maiden season in Serie A, De Ketelaere’s career in Italy seemed over. However, Atalanta gave the 23-year-old the benefit of the doubt. They signed the Milan flop on loan last summer and helped him fulfill his potential.
De Ketelaere didn’t score a single goal in 40 appearances for Milan. At Atalanta, he tallied 14 goals and 11 assists in 50 outings across all competitions, playing a prominent role in the club’s historic Europa League triumph.
Therefore, it’s understandable Atalanta are keen to exercise a buyout clause. Given the forward’s impact in Bergamo, a €23 million fee looks like a highway robbery. Milan would be powerless to stop De Ketelaere from completing a permanent move to Bergamo if Gian Piero Gasperini’s men trigger the clause.
But despite De Ketalaere’s rise to prominence at Atalanta, the Rossoneri wouldn’t stand in his way anyway. The only problem could be finances and La Dea’s preparedness to part with the required amount to make a deal happen.
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