The tiresome transfer saga involving Charles De Ketelaere, AC Milan and Leeds United has finally drawn to an end. The 21-year-old has secured a five-year deal with the Serie A champions with an option for a further year - becoming the most expensive Belgian export in history.
AC Milan have agreed to pay Club Brugge a fee of €32m plus €3m in bonuses. The Rossoneri have also agreed to pay a 12.5% resale clause for any sale over the sum of €32m.
Leeds submitted a superior bid of £33.5m earlier in the window but the Belgian international had always made his intentions clear that the city of Milan was his preferred destination.
In an interview for Thursday’s edition of Gazet van Antwerpen via Sports Witness, de Ketelaere’s representatives, Tom De Mul and Yama Sharifi, provided clarity on the saga.
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“Leeds were very concrete. But at one point he said: I would also like to hear another club,” Sharifi said.
De Mul added: “And Charles liked that too. They absolutely wanted him, he went there to play every week, with Jesse Marsch they have a top coach. To see if Leeds were really the right step, he wanted to be able to compare. Logically.
“Then we called Milan: ‘If you really want him, you have to persevere now. And persevere well, not half and half’. Maldini was still busy with his own contract, but then we called him. Charles also had a very good discussion with Stefano Pioli, and so he became totally convinced.
“Leeds already offered €40m. While Milan had a limit. But Brugge were not going to sell him for €20m, of course. So, it was up to us to raise Milan’s offer.”
The pair also confirmed that West Ham United, Newcastle United and Arsenal were among the interested parties. Nevertheless, it was a two-horse race between Leeds and AC Milan.
Sharifi also admits that he felt de Ketelaere’s proposed move was ‘dead’ at one point but the duo devised a strategy to force AC Milan into action.
“Then we had to fly to Lugano,” Sharifi said. “”Phew, that was really crucial. Two superpowers faced each other and felt misunderstood. It became a real battle.
“The outside world cannot understand how difficult it is to resolve a situation. Tom and I then had to determine a strategy. We had to do everything we could to push that transfer through.”
De Mul went as far to say that Leeds was the easiest choice financially but that the player himself went with his heart.
“It was easiest to choose Leeds after all,” De Mul added. “That was not only financially more interesting for Club Brugge, but also for Charles and for us.
“Certainly, because it was the choice of his heart [to go to Milan]. He told me: ‘I grew up in a club that wins titles and plays in the Champions League. I don’t want to give that up’.”
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