Divock Origi’s injury has made life a little more difficult for Stefano Pioli, who has just Olivier Giroud to rely on up front as things stand. Charles De Ketelaere, therefore, could get a new role.
Due to the World Cup commitment with France, making it all the way to the final, Giroud will have a vacation and will only return just before the Salernitana clash. Throwing him back into action, therefore, might not be wise.
In the last few days, many have suggested that De Ketelaere could be used in that position, given that he’s quite tall and thus good in the air. Pioli responded to this in an interview with Gazzetta Dello Sport (read in full here).
“De Ketelaere as a striker? Yes, it’s possible even in the next few matches, thinking about the types of opponents we’ll meet. We’ll find many defences lined up in fives, not giving references could be the solution and he has these qualities. In general, he has a whole group at his disposal to help him understand situations and the environment,” he stated.
Milan will, as said, face Salernitana on January 4 and it’s very likely that we could see De Ketelaere up front in that game. The Belgian needs to bounce back from a tough first half of the season and bagging a goal would be a great start.
