Charles De Ketelaere, born 10 March 2001, is a Belgian footballer who primarily operates as a central attacking midfielder. Standing at 6ft 3in (1.92m) tall and weighing 12st 6lb (79kg), he cuts an imposing figure in the midfield. Currently playing for Serie A side Atalanta, he is known to sport the number 17 jersey on the field. Furthermore, De Ketelaere has been capped for the Belgium national team.
As for his standing in the transfer market, De Ketelaere has a market value of approximately £28.5m according to Transfermarkt. He is currently contracted to Atalanta until 30 June 2027, with over two and a half years still remaining on his current deal.
De Ketelaere's football journey began in July 2016 when he joined Club Brugge in the Pro League in Belgium as a trainee. The midfielder's performances gradually improved over time, making 78 league appearances and scoring 18 goals in three seasons, between 2019 - 2022.
In August 2022, De Ketelaere transferred from Club Brugge to Italian Serie A side AC Milan for around £29m. Following just a solitary season with AC Milan, De Ketelaere moved to fellow Serie A club Atalanta, initially on loan before making the transfer permanent in July 2024, for approximately £19m.
So far in Italy, he has made 75 league appearances and netted 11 times. The 2024-25 season is still ongoing, and De Ketelaere has already made eight appearances and scored once in the league for Atalanta.
In addition to his domestic contributions, De Ketelaere has had a prominent role in UEFA competitions. He represented Belgium in the UEFA U21 Qualifiers 2023, started seven games and came on as a substitute four times for Atalanta in Europa League 2023 - 2024, scoring two goals. He also took part in the UEFA Super Cup 2024 - 2025, and has made three appearances in the Champions League 2024 - 2025, two as a starter and once off the bench.
