Where potential Leicester signing Charles De Ketelaere fits in XI
By Will Kennedy
With the end of Leicester City’s season just around the corner, full focus is starting on the much anticipated summer rebuild in the East Midlands. Lately the rumour mill has been solely fixed on the future of Youri Tielemans as he edges ever closer to an exit, but now fans are starting to see rumours and reports of a potential new recruit: Charles De Ketelaere.
De Ketelaere’s rise has been several years in the making. Last season he started to get regular appearances for Club Brugge – scoring three and assisted four in 32 league appearances – however it is this season in which he has started to make the headlines.
In the Jupiler Pro League he’s played in 33 games, has scored 14 goals, and has assisted 7 from attacking midfield. The rise in his numbers reflect the raw potential that the 21-year-old possesses in his locker and his value only mirrors this; in 2020 Transfermarkt had him valued at £4.5m, in 2022 his value has shot up to £27m.
Currently, he’s not only ranked as Club Brugge’s most valuable player, but the most valuable player in the entire Belgian league and the 6th highest ranked Belgian in world football. For an international team filled with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans, that is no mean feat.
With Leicester now poised as favourites to secure De Ketelaere’s signature, it asks the question of where he would best fit in at the King Power. The temptation for some may be to play him on the right of midfield – Leicester City’s search for a right winger is a tale as old as time – and, whilst De Ketelaere has played there before, it would be best if the right side was filled by an out-and-out right winger.