Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola might have found his next Belgian superstar in the 5-1 hammering of Club Brugge in the form of Charles De Ketelaere.
According to Calciomercato, Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has been left impressed by Club Brugge star Charles De Ketelaere in his team’s 5-1 win over the Belgian giants in the UEFA Champions League.
While the Premier League champions may have won the game easily, one player who caught the attention from Brugge was De Ketelaere. The 20-year-old came through the ranks at the Jan Breydel Stadium, making his senior bow for the club in 2019. The attacker has since made 86 appearances for the club, scoring 11 goals and assisting 13 more.
A versatile player, he can fulfil various roles all across the frontline and in midfield. He has all the traits to become the lynchpin around who City can build their next great side. Just 20, De Ketelaere is already an able dribbler and can make key passes that can unlock the opposition defences. He still has room to grow and could develop into one of the finest players in world football.
City already have a world-class squad well-stocked in all positions. One they need to reinforce is upfront, following the departure of Sergio Aguero. While Ferran Torres and Gabriel Jesus have done well, they are not infallible goalscorers.
Raheem Sterling has fallen down the pecking order this season and has been linked with a move away. City signed Jack Grealish last summer and also have Phil Foden in their ranks. Adding De Ketelaere to the mix will give them an elite player pool to build the attack around. Whether that happens or not remains to be seen.
A full-international for Belgium, De Ketelaere is now taking his talents to the global stage. He recently found the back of the net for Belgium against Italy in the UEFA Nations League third-placed playoff. It will not have gone unnoticed at some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
A hero at Brugge, the youngster’s name is written in graffiti on a wall near his home and just 500m from the club’s stadium. A shy person off the field, he certainly has no problems expressing himself on it. It will not come as a surprise if De Ketelaere becomes the next great Belgian striker.
Real Madrid are interested in signing him, with now Manchester City also entering the picture to secure the signing of the 20-year-old striker. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for the young Belgian.
