Jonathan David has cooled talks of a Premier League switch despite interest from heavyweights Arsenal and Liverpool.
The 25-year-old Canadian, whose contract expires this summer, has been on fire, netting over 20 goals for three consecutive seasons, drawing attention from Europe’s elite. While English clubs have been keenly linked with David, he expressed a fondness for Spanish soccer during a chat with Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher on the ‘It’s Called Soccer!’ podcast sponsored by Sky Bet.
“I grew up watching a lot of La Liga. I wouldn’t say that would be my preferred league, but it’s a league I enjoyed watching more so (than others). One day, I would like to play there. But will that happen? I don’t know. I’m not opposed to anything. We’ll see where the future takes us.”
With Lille’s contract extension offer hanging in the balance and no sign of a deal, David could become one of the hottest free agents come summer. Arsenal, in its hunt for a new striker, might find David an attractive proposition, especially as he models his style after Gunners legend Thierry Henry.
This positions him as a potentially savvy acquisition compared to other targets such as Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, and Benjamin Sesko, who are all valued at $100 million or more.
Liverpool is reportedly keeping tabs on David’s situation, but any move for the player will likely hinge on potential departures, with Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez at risk of leaving in the summer. David has also attracted interest from Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham, although none of these clubs are currently considered favorites to secure his signature. This comes despite David’s agent being spotted at West Ham’s recent match against Newcastle at the London Stadium.
Lille’s success of nurturing players
Lille, David’s current club, has a track record of nurturing some of Europe’s top talents, including Eden Hazard, Victor Osimhen, Rafael Leao, Gabriel Magalhaes, Mike Maignan, Leny Yoro and Dimitri Payet. David made the switch to Lille from Belgian side Gent in 2020 and quickly made a name for himself as one of French soccer’s leading goal scorers.
In his first two seasons, he netted a total of 28 league goals before scoring a career-best 24 in the 2022/23 season. Last season, he managed 26 across all competitions, and he is just four goals shy of surpassing that total this season.
Currently, Lille sit sixth in Ligue 1, only three points away from an automatic Champions League qualification spot. However, the team’s European journey was cut short earlier this month by Dortmund in the round of 16, matching its best-ever performance in the competition.
David has made a significant impact on his team’s fortunes, scoring crucial goals against heavyweights like Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Liverpool, and Borussia Dortmund. His goal-scoring prowess extends to Ligue 1, where he’s netted 14 goals – a feat surpassed only by Marseille’s Mason Greenwood and Paris Saint-Germain’s Ousmane Dembele.
Reflecting on his form this season, David acknowledged: “I think you could say that. This might be my best campaign yet. It’s been a great campaign.”
