In a recent interview with Gazet van Antwerpen (subscription required), ex-Jupiler League striker Mo Messoudi offered an update on West Ham United’s pursuit of Club Brugge centre-forward Charles De Ketelaere. Messoudi revealed that the Hammers will have to pay in excess of £22m to bring the Belgian frontman to the London Stadium.
De Ketelaere’s Eye-Catching Form In The Jupiler Pro League
De Ketelaere has performed at a high level for Club Brugge this season as he produced a run of promising performances as the spearhead of Philippe Clement’s attack. The talented youngster has featured in 14 matches, netting four goals and securing three assists for the Belgian giants so far in this campaign across various competitions.
The 20-year-old has caught the eye by averaging 3.3 shots, 2.6 key passes and 1.8 dribbles per 90 minutes in the Jupiler Pro League. However, he needs to improve his accuracy when interchanging possession in the final third as evidenced by his pass completion rate of 72.5% in the top tier of Belgian football (stats via whoscored).
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Is De Ketelaere A Good Option For West Ham United Boss David Moyes?
De Ketelaere is a moderately paced forward who excels at creating space for himself to get a few shots in at goal. He can even orchestrate some meaningful openings for his teammates up top. The Brugge-born sensation can make some exciting runs with the ball in the attacking end of the field, but there are some question marks over whether he can maintain his good form in the Premier League where he will be tested physically week in week out.
The two-time Belgium international has the potential to become a world-class attacker someday as long as he continues to improve his overall game with each season. Hence, David Moyes would be wise to engineer a move to bring him to the London Stadium during the winter transfer period.
De Ketelaere will be a great option for the Hammers as he will serve as an ideal back-up for Michail Antonio, who is still Moyes’ only recognized senior forward at the East London club. At 20, the future is quite bright for the Club Brugge whizkid which makes him a worthy target for West Ham to pursue this winter.
