Manchester City are no strangers when it comes to being linked with transfer moves for numerous players across Europe.
The previous summer transfer window saw City land deals to bring Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan to the Etihad Stadium.
Pep Guardiola’s side were also linked with moves for other players such as Eberechi Eze and Bruno Guimaraes among others.
With the January transfer window on the horizon, Guardiola said that City could sign a midfielder due to Rodri’s season-ending injury.
Now though – some behind-the-scenes details have come to light regarding one midfielder the Manchester club have had their eyes on recently.
- Man City transfer rumours: Every player linked to and from the Etihad in summer transfer window
Man City among Premier League clubs watching Charles De Ketelaere
A recent report from Caught Offside has claimed that City are one of the Premier League clubs who have been keeping an eye on Atalanta star Charles De Ketelaere.
The other top-flight clubs interested in the Belgian include Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Arsenal – with Mikel Arteta apparently being a big fan of the 23-year-old.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic backed De Ketelaere to become ‘unstoppable’
A few months after the Belgian joined AC Milan in 2022, the Italian club’s former player and current board advisor, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, said this Voetbalkrant about De Ketelaere.
He said: “I recognize myself in him. I recognize myself when I took my first steps outside Sweden. It took me a year. It is difficult to be away from your country and your family. He has to get used to it.
“I help him feel at home in the dressing room. He needs one reference match and once he does that, he will be unstoppable. If he continues to listen to the coach, everything will be fine.”
Despite Ibrahimovic’s faith, De Ketelaere, who talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “beautiful” on his X account, left Milan to join Atalanta during the previous summer transfer window.
Even though the attacking-midfielder has only scored one goal and provided one assist in seven Serie A appearances this season, the fact that he has so many top-flight clubs, including City, looking at him shows what a capable player he is.
Moving forward, even though he’s more attack-minded than Rodri, it’ll be interesting to see if the Blues make an attempt to bring De Ketelaere to Manchester in January.
