Milan are reportedly set to match Leeds United’s offer for Club Brugge talent Charles De Ketelaere, a sign of their altered strategy after losing out on Sven Botman to Newcastle.

The Rossoneri were incredibly keen to sign the Dutch defender from Lille and the player himself preferred the move to Lombardy, but the club failed to agree a deal with the French club. Newcastle offered close to €40m for Botman, far higher than Milan’s offer.

Milan refused to match the Premier League side’s offer and despite Botman’s wishes, the Rossoneri ultimately missed out, forcing them to push for other defenders instead. This seemed to be happening again with De Ketelaere, with reports suggesting that the English club had bid significantly more than their Italian counterparts, but that won’t be the case.

La Gazzetta dello Sport and Sky Sports Italia detailed today how the Rossoneri are ready to match Leeds’ bid for De Ketelaere, altering their strategy a little in order to secure the Belgian talent’s signature.

Sources close to Football Italia suggest that Milan’s strategy was always to invest more heavily in a forward than a defender, feeling that an attacking reinforcement is more of a priority, which explains why they’re willing to match Leeds’ bid and why they missed out on Botman.

4 thought on “Milan-Leeds De Ketelaere fight – How Botman to Newcastle changed things”
  1. De Ketelaere never wanted to come to Leeds. Let him go, we don’t need him as he wants Milan. f a player does not want to come to Leeds turn away and look elsewhere as you never get the best from them.

  2. Well said John Harrison. I would always want a player with potential upside who wants to play for a club than a player who is just after the $$$ & doesn’t care where he plays.

  3. Would love to have him at Leeds but it dosnt sound like he feels the same, agreed, look elsewhere 👍

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