Charles De Ketelaere

ANALYSIS
De Ketelaere delivered one of his finest seasons to date with Atalanta, contributing five goals and seven assists alongside 85 key passes and 61 crosses across 39 appearances including 33 starts, cementing his status as one of the more complete attacking midfielders in Serie A. His elegance on the ball, intelligent movement and rare versatility make him a nightmare to pin down defensively, with the ability to operate as a false nine, in behind the striker or from wide positions depending on the tactical demands of any given match. At international level, De Ketelaere has progressively established himself as one of the most reliable creative outlets in the Belgian attack, combining seamlessly with Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku to form one of the more dynamic and technically gifted attacking units at the entire tournament. His capacity to combine with teammates in tight spaces, arrive late into the box and produce moments of individual quality in crucial moments gives Belgium a genuinely unpredictable edge going forward. With Romelu Lukaku likely to begin the tournament from the bench, De Ketelaere's ability to lead the line intelligently and bring others into play will be one of the defining factors in how far the Red Devils can go this summer.