Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere has picked up an injury in pre-season training, leaving him doubtful for the club's Conference League play-off first leg against Hapoel Tel Aviv on August 20 and the Serie A opener against Sassuolo. The 25-year-old Belgian is among two Atalanta attackers currently sidelined, with the timing particularly awkward given la Dea face a compressed schedule before competitive football resumes in earnest.
The concern is not merely logistical. De Ketelaere finished the 2025-26 Serie A campaign with three goals and five assists across 31 appearances, carrying an average rating of 7.20 — numbers that made him one of the more reliable creative presences in Raffaele Palladino's system. Atalanta ended the season seventh on 59 points, a record of 15 wins, 14 draws and nine defeats across 38 matches. Losing De Ketelaere for even the opening fortnight disrupts the attacking continuity Palladino has spent months building.
The injury compounds an already difficult injury picture at the club. Kamaldeen Sulemana is out for at least two months with a serious knee problem, removing another forward option from the squad. Palladino must now navigate the Conference League play-off against Hapoel Tel Aviv — the first leg at home in Bergamo, the return leg a week later — with a depleted attacking roster.
Atalanta have moved to address their squad depth elsewhere this window, confirming the arrival of Danish defender Rasmus Kristensen from Udinese and presenting Gaetano as a new signing. The club's sporting director has spoken publicly about the direction of the project, though no specific comments regarding De Ketelaere's situation were reported. The transfer activity suggests la Dea are aware of their vulnerabilities and are acting accordingly, even if the attacking injury crisis was not entirely foreseeable.
De Ketelaere's AI overall score of 73 out of a potential 100 points to a player still operating below his ceiling — a gap that makes his availability all the more valuable rather than decorative. At 25, this is the phase of his career where consistent minutes and rhythm matter most. Missing the first competitive fixtures of 2026-27 will not define his season, but it narrows the margin for a slow start.
Atalanta's European ambitions and their domestic positioning both depend on De Ketelaere returning fit and quickly finding his rhythm. The calendar will not wait.