In a recent tweet, journalist Daniel Speranza mentioned that West Ham United are eager to sign AC Milan playmaker Charles De Ketelaere. It has been stated that the Hammers could face competition from Crystal Palace in the race to sign the Belgian attacker this summer.
De Ketelaere’s Underwhelming Season In Serie A
De Ketelaere had a disappointing campaign at San Siro as he struggled to be productive for the Milan giants in the final third. The Belgian sensation failed to score a goal and picked up just one assist in 40 matches for AC Milan last season in various competitions.
The 22-year-old made most of his appearances off the bench which explains why he only averaged 0.6 shots, 0.6 key passes and 1.1 dribbles per game in Serie A. However, he linked up play relatively well with others around him in the opponent’s half after making 79.4% of his attempted passes in the Italian first division (stats via whoscored).
His current deal at the Italian club will run out in 2027. Hence, the Hammers will have to make a convincing offer if they want to snap him up this summer.
Will De Ketelaere Be A Decent Signing For West Ham United?
De Ketelaere excels at finding space for himself to get a few strikes in on-target. He has also got the eye to play some decisive passes on the attacking end of the field. The Belgian talent can even make a few clever runs with the ball toward the opponent’s penalty box. However, he has to find a way to improve his productivity in the final third.
The Brugge-born footballer is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also fill in as a centre-forward or operate as a right-sided wide player if needed.
We can expect De Ketelaere to bring more firepower to West Ham‘s attack. However, he is far from a prolific attacker and would need time to settle into David Moyes‘ playing style at the London Stadium. Still, his addition could help the Hammers challenge across all competitions in the coming seasons which makes him a decent signing for them to pull off ahead of the new campaign.
