De Ketelaere held PSG talks before club chose Ferran Torres

Charles De Ketelaere has confirmed that Paris Saint-Germain considered signing him during the summer window. The Belgian international, now 25, held talks with the French club, but the move never materialised. PSG ultimately went in a different direction and signed Ferran Torres from Barcelona.

• De Ketelaere admitted he spoke with PSG before the club signed Ferran Torres.
• He said Atalanta wanted around 50 million euros to sanction a transfer.
• The Belgian forward is happy in Bergamo and values regular minutes after his Milan spell.
• He also discussed Belgium's ambitions under new head coach Mark van Bommel.

How PSG chose Ferran Torres over De Ketelaere

The Bruges-born forward gave an interview to Belgian newspaper DH Les Sports in which he reviewed the options he had to leave Atalanta. When asked about the interest from Paris Saint-Germain, he was straightforward: he confirmed the conversations and acknowledged that the French club ended up picking the Spanish winger instead.

Ferran Torres became one of PSG's attacking additions in a window where the Ligue 1 champions were exploring different options in the final third. For De Ketelaere, competing for a place at the highest level is part of modern football, and his future remained tied to Gian Piero Gasperini's project for another season.

The transfer fee Atalanta wanted for De Ketelaere

During the conversation, the Belgian was asked whether Atalanta were unwilling to let him leave for less than 50 million euros. De Ketelaere confirmed that figure was close to the club's demands and admitted that finding a team ready to pay it was the hard part.

Yes, I think the figure they were talking about was close to that. But you need to find a club willing to pay it. There are several clubs in the Premier League who can do it, but in the end nothing happened.

The Premier League looked like the most realistic destination from a financial point of view, with several English clubs capable of meeting that asking price. In the end, no formal proposal was completed and the forward started the 2025-26 season still wearing the Atalanta shirt.

De Ketelaere rebuilds his career at Atalanta after Milan

De Ketelaere made no secret of the fact that he feels comfortable in Bergamo. His experience at AC Milan during the 2022-23 campaign, when he struggled for regular playing time, taught him the value of being a consistent starter. That continuity is exactly what he has found at Atalanta, where he has become an important part of the attacking setup.

At 25, the Belgian international still has the ambition to compete for major trophies. He is not in a rush to move on, but he does not hide his desire to fight for silverware at some point in his career. He believes he still has room to grow and enough time to make that leap.

Belgium and Van Bommel's message after the 2026 World Cup

The interview also touched on the Belgian national team. Mark van Bommel, the new head coach of the Red Devils, surprised his players in his first camp by telling them Belgium could have won the last World Cup. De Ketelaere understands that message and shares the thinking behind it.

Belgium fell in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, losing 2-1 to Spain. De Ketelaere equalised after Fabián Ruiz had opened the scoring, but Mikel Merino decided the tie in the 88th minute. Spain went on to lift the trophy after beating France in the semi-finals and Argentina in the final.

The only player to score against Spain at the World Cup

One fact supports Van Bommel's argument: Charles De Ketelaere was the only opposition player to score against Spain during the entire tournament. Luis de la Fuente's side finished the World Cup with an outstanding defensive record and conceded just that one Belgian goal in the quarter-finals.

Belgium's run included draws against Egypt and Iran in the group stage and a big win over New Zealand. In the round of 32 they eliminated Senegal after extra time, and in the round of 16 they comfortably beat the United States. The quarter-final against Spain, decided in the closing minutes, left the Red Devils just short of the semi-finals.

De Ketelaere believes the gaps between the best national teams are smaller than ever and that Belgium have the quality to compete with any opponent. Without being favourites in every scenario, he insists the Red Devils should aim to go far in the next major international tournaments.

De Ketelaere's role at Atalanta this season

Unless there is a late twist in the January window, the Belgian will remain at Atalanta and keep a significant role in Gasperini's attack. His versatility to play as an attacking midfielder, winger or striker makes him a valuable asset for the Italian coach. The player himself has made it clear that his priority is to keep getting regular minutes.