After days of uncertainty, Charles De Ketelaere is finally gearing up to join his new club Atalanta with a deal now agreed for the Belgian.
According to Calciomercato.com, there has been a rapprochement between Atalanta and the entourage of De Ketelaere. In recent days the negotiation had suffered a major slowdown because of the requests for commissions and salary, but things have been resolved.
An agreement was reached with Milan by Atalanta some time ago on the basis of a €3m paid loan with a €23m option to buy and €4m in potential bonuses. If it were to become permanent, the Rossoneri would avoid the risk of a capital loss on the accounts.
La Dea have managed to overcome the requests of De Ketelaere through his agents, who wanted high commissions and a pay rise if the loan were to become permanent.
Atalanta also beat PSV Eindhoven and RC Lens to his signature, something Gian Piero Gasperini is happy about as he spoke after their draw against Juventus in Cesena yesterday.
“I’m very happy about De Ketelaere if he comes. He’s a player I really like, if the conditions are right I’d be happy,” he said.
GL agent CDK 😀
I hope he’s gonna do well at atalanta so they would sign him next season.
Im sad to see him go but unfortunately it didnt really work out well
I really hope he returns to his former great and gets his career back on track, best of wishes cdk.
Martin Bernhard, as many times before, also this time I share your feeling.
I always compared him to Havertz, played successfully as a striker and CAM in Leverkusen, but actually he is neither a ST or a CAM. CDK is the same, ppl might think he is a ST bcs he used to play there at Bruges, but he definitely is not.
Havertz went to Arsenal now where he looks being deployed as rightfooted mezzala on the left in a similar 433 system we want to be playing at. I saw a similar opportunity for CDK to compete with Loftus for that RCM spot.
Same with Paqueta actually, I kinda liked him playing under Gattuso in a 433 with Bakayoko as our DMF. Pioli changed to 4231 which helped Kessie and Calhanoglu who struggled at 433. 4231 on the other hand ment the end for Paqueta (and also Bakayoko) as he isn’t a AM and wasn’t good at double pivot either.
At Lyon he could play in his favoured 433 again where he flourished. That’s why Pep wants him so bad, he isn’t showing enough at West Ham to grant that 80mil or so, but that’s because he plays in double pivot again, not his position. Pep realises he will be great in his 433 system where Rodri will offer him the freedom he needs.
I wish CDK well, the ‘Ilicic’ role might suit him well.
If he blossoms in Atalanta, it’s bye-bye for Pioli I’m sure.
I think it’s bye bye because of Pulisick, RLC and not getting Beltran or Veliz or Retegui. To not get a CF or DM is negligent at the very least. Pioli is a damned idiot.
We will see on the pitch. Last year mercato was totally missed with only Thiaw who reintegrated in to the squad.
First game will show statistics of new arrivals on pitch.
Glad to see him leave. We had a lot of flops throughout the hstory but CDK is certainly in Top 3 flops af all time. 35 millions for 1 assist and zero goals? And he got a lot of chances to play and show his value. If yo ask me, CDK doesn’t know how to run properly. And with a ball between his legs, running is impossible mission for him. Who the hell thought he is good for ACM or any other club anywhere on the planet? Yet, they managed to get rid of him of 30 million? Lots of blind people in football and they call them seves experts??? Unbelievable.
First of all, he didn’t get sold for 30M now, he would be if he performs and Atalanta decides to sign him permanently next season. So, it’s kinda a low risk for Atalanta as they’re just going to pay the loan fee and his salary for now, and if he continues to struggle, he would still be our problems.
However, having said that, one would wonder why Atalanta agreed on a perceived high fee if they intent to sign him permanently? Either they plan to negotiate it further down the line later, or they just think he’s still worth that much.
Despite his flop season and his attitude that seems to be found wanting, in all fairness, he didn’t get that much chances either, despite the statistic that shown him getting a lot of appearances. This is where the statistic is a little bit misleading IMHO, and we can’t just blindly look into that. The fact remains that he NEVER had a single 90minutes game (let alone an extended runs of full games) and most of the appearances in later fixtures are 10-15mins cameo. Sure, he didn’t do himself any favour by not capitalizing on the little chance that he got, but still in my books, he probably should be given a second chance.
Obviously, the management did well financially to shift the risk to someone else, but maybe in the end he’s just a square peg that doesn’t fit to a round hole – and sincerely hoping that he found a new lease of life under Gasp and fulfil that potential that we all saw in Brugges.
Side note:
We signed a whole lot of new players this season and it appears that MOST of us in this site are excited and already heaping a lot of praises. I hope you guys would come back to read your own comments one year from now, if (God forbids) one or more simply didn’t live up to the expectatons and start blaming managements for getting them in the first place. It would be unsightly.
Agree with you completely @Bunga2.
Its why I think Pioli needs to go, he is not a bad coach just the wrong one for our project. He doesn’t know how to integrate and evolve young players, which we have made our main priority.
He is old school with a strict hierarchy. If Okafor scores a hattrick I’m 100% Giroud will start the next game just because he is further up his hierarchy. Players like Adli – Cdk wont be able to establish themselves in a bipolar system.
Baldi, come on man… You pick out CDK and Adli as examples. Both never did suit the 4231 formation, that is the main reason. Has nothing to do with Pioli not knowing how to integrate young players. How about you take players as Leao, Tonali, Theo, Kalulu, Thiaw, Diaz as examples too. Pioli is in Seria A history books with youngest squad played, became Serie A champion with one of the youngest squads ever.
If he is the right man for the job now, that’s a different discussion. But don’t say he can’t work with young players..
Comeon now,
Theo was bought by real for a reason he was already a top talent
Leao was also a top talent and wanted by everyone. Took along time for pioli to get him in to the system and he is still missing key knowledge to become world class.
Kalulu had a wonderful season but have dropped of and we are desperatly looking for a Right back to replace him, Thiaw replaced him at cb
Tomori had already played for england when we singed him and was a top talent.
Thiaw been a suprise I give you that. But he didn’t get to play before all other options where exhausted/injured
Diaz was singed by man city and played a lot and was already a top talent. And we didn’t have any other AMC. Hakan would start everytime over diaz when we had.
Pioli won the league in the covid season where all the top teams where under performing heavily.
Kalulu also got his chance when Florenzi and Calabria where out with injury. Than he had to move to cb when they came back. And you remember why? you guessed it Kjear injury
Baldi,
you can make up reasons for each one of them, fact remains. Pioli used them in favour of other (older) players. Theo was a benchwarmer under Giampaolo (usually lost the battle against Rodriguez), it was under Pioli that he secured his starting spot. Leao was played as striker when Pioli came in, it was Pioli that decided to put him on LW, position where he was able to show his talent. He chose saelemeakers who nobody knew in favour of Castillejo.
and nope you are all wrong about Kalulu. may have come in bcs of an injury. But later on, he was secured a starting spot when both Kjaer and captain Romagnoli were fit.
Keep dreaming. Fact reminds that all of them got their chances through injuries or lack of options. Then people claim he is genius for starting them. No thank you. Lets be real, have big doubts over our chances to qualify for CL this season. But hopefully we managed to get there with luck again.
Dude , you want to change formation just for adili & CDK ? If they are zidane & messi maybe you want to change formation but really for adili & CDK not worth . Player must adapt to coach system not the coach adapt to unproven young player. Strict & discipline coach like conte,nagelsmann,ten haag will bench you if see you cannot adapt to their system and will sell you at transfer market next season
Adli is natural mazzela. CDK can play in all positions up top.
Atalanta are an absolute masterclass when it comes to finding promising players, amplifying them and offloading at huge profits.
I am sure they will reinvigorate CDK and offload him for a bigger-than-imagined sum in a year or two. Milan stand to profit of course from the sell-on clause.
Wishing CDK all the luck. He needs it.
People who cry about CDK, have you seen Luka Romero play? Better in every way imaginable, who gives a crap about CDK and his 1 assist.
i am afraid he went to late to atalanta. he will need a month or 2 to integrate the team and by then he might not get the first team..