Liverpool are among some of the top Premier League clubs linked with a move for highly-rated Club Brugge forward Charles De Ketelaere.
After progressing through the young ranks of the Club Brugge academy, Charles De Ketelaere, 20, burst onto the scene last season, netting five goals and providing eight assists in 46 appearances in all formats. The youngster was named as Belgian Pro League’s best young player of the year following his exploits with Club Brugge.
The versatile Belgian has brought last term’s form into this season, racking up four goals and two assists in 10 Belgian Pro League games to date. De Ketelaere caught the eye with his performance in Club Brugge’s 1-1 stalemate with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League group game.
The 20-year-old’s meteoric rise in stock and swift progression has attracted the attention of many top Premier League clubs, with Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal vying for the talented forward’s signature next year.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have done extremely well so far into the new Premier League season and are primed to mount a serious title challenge. The return of defenders Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip from long-term injuries plus the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota getting back into their groove has given Jurgen Klopp’s side a massive chance of wrestling back the Premier League title from Manchester City.
Liverpool’s lack of depth could come back to haunt them in the title race
What Liverpool don’t have in comparison to Manchester City is the strength in squad depth. As witnessed last season, a few injuries here and there and the Reds lost their balance and surrendered the league title to Manchester City meekly.
Jurgen Klopp certainly cannot afford to commit the same mistake again and after spending only on a defender in the summer transfer window, he must persuade the board to spend big in January. In addition, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane leaving for the African Cup of Nations in January would only vindicate Klopp’s calls to reinforce the squad.
Charles De Ketelaere could be an excellent addition to the Reds
Charles De Ketelaere, one of the most highly-rated young talents across European football, would add quality and depth to an exciting Liverpool attack. He has starred up front for Club Brugge this season but is more than capable of operating out wide, in the hole behind the main striker and central midfield, and such versatility will only appeal to Klopp.
The two-cap Belgian international is a big talent and could potentially get his chances to impress straightaway at Anfield after Salah and Mane leave for the AFCON. A January move for De Ketelaere would be a big boost for Klopp, who needs a bigger squad to challenge on all trophy fronts. Plus, the 20-year-old could also be a handy option to have on the bench.
However, as De Ketelaere is contracted at Brugge until 2024 and attracting interest from some of Europe’s top clubs, Liverpool would need to pay a substantial fee to tempt the Belgian champions into selling their prized asset midway through the season.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.