Jonathan David’s future at Lille will likely become one of the bigger soccer stories in both Canada and France. The star striker was regularly linked with a move away from the Ligue 1 outfit throughout the recent transfer window. Not only is he a highly-rated Canada international, but he is also now in the final year under contract at the club.
Since joining Lille in 2020, David has racked up an impressive 87 goals and 20 assists in 190 total matches. The string of standout performances has made the previous $30 million transfer from Gent look like a solid deal. Despite providing the French side with lethal offense, Lille officials have not been able to get David to sign a contract extension.
Because of this, the striker was seemingly due for a summer move. In fact, David recently admitted to having talked to multiple opposing coaches and teams regarding a switch. The Canadian star, however, ultimately opted to remain with Lille for the 2024/25 season. Anything can then happen after the campaign is completed.
In a recent interview with The Athletic, David stated that he remains in discussions with Lille brass regarding a possible extension. Nevertheless, his comments were not exactly soothing to the French team. David admitted that his contract “is going to run out” and “we’ll see what happens next year.”
The comments suggest that he is potentially waiting to sign on as a free agent with another club. Several top Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, have kept tabs on David. The Premier League is, by most accounts, the top place for soccer players. After all, the top Premier League teams typically have the most money to spend.
While this is true, David also claimed he does not necessarily have to join a big English club. “I’m open to anything,” David told The Athletic. “I think obviously the Premier League is regarded as one of the best league in the world. And for me it’s not the Premier League or bust. I’m open to anything and every league has its challenges.”
While the recent comments may not please Lille brass, top teams outside of England will be smiling. Italian duo Napoli and Roma were reportedly two of the teams to talk to David this summer. After David informed the Serie A sides that he was going to stay in France, the clubs pivoted to other targets. Napoli signed Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea and Roma went for former Girona star Artem Dovbyk.
Reports out of Serie A now claim that fellow Italian clubs Inter Milan and Juventus are planning to talk to Jonathan David in January. Because his contract expires in 2025, foreign teams can officially offer the star a contract beginning in January. David will be able to pick and choose the best fit during this time.
Juventus seems to be the better option at the moment. Inter currently has forwards such as Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram, and Mehdi Taremi tied down for the next few seasons. Juve, on the other hand, has Dusan Vlahovic and youngster Kenan Yıldız as options up front. Vlahovic also has links with a possible move away from Juve in recent months.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
