Arsenal and Man Utd battle it out for AC Milan flop

Carlo Garganese

• 19 Nov 2023 16:30 GMT
• 3 min read

Arsenal and Manchester United are battling it out for former AC Milan flop Charles De Ketelaere, according to Fichajes.

United are in the market for a new attacking midfielder next summer as they have been left extremely disappointed by the performances of Mason Mount since his €65 million move from Chelsea.

There are also question marks over the future of Bruno Fernandes, who turns 30 in the new year and could potentially look to move on.

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Arsenal are also aiming to strengthen their options in the offensive area of the pitch, as they still lack depth.

FIchajes reports that both Arsenal and United are fighting it out to sign De Ketelaere from Atalanta next summer.

De Ketelaere moved to Atalanta this past summer on loan from Milan, with an option to buy.

The Belgian was regarded as one of the most exciting young players in Europe when he joined Milan from Club Brugge in the summer of 2022.

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De Ketelaere's disastrous 2022-23

However, he endured a disastrous 2022-23 season at San Siro. He failed to score a single goal in 40 appearances, only getting one assist.

Milan opted to move him on to Atalanta, where he has improved his form. He has two goals and two assists in all competitions from 14 games.

The 22-year-old is a versatile attacking player, capable of playing in a string of positions and systems. He has played as both a central attacking midfielder behind the attack, and in a front two this season.

He made his debut as an 18-year-old for Brugge and was immediately tipped for stardom, earning the nickname ‘the next De Bruyne’ by some pundits.

He scored 26 goals in 120 appearances for Club Brugge, winning three straight Belgian league titles and being named Belgian Young Player of the Year in 2021-22.

He has also been capped 13 times for his country, scoring two goals.