Liverpool is already on the wrong end of one free transfer this summer, losing Trent Alexander-Arnold for nothing (although Real Madrid may yet pay a nominal fee). It could try to turn the tables and sign a star who is set to be out of contract, but Jose Mourinho is providing competition.
While pundits acting as though Liverpool should thank Alexander-Arnold for his service on bended knee have badly missed the point, it is also true that the club knows free transfers are part and parcel of the game. Joel Matip will go down as a greater club legend than Alexander-Arnold, for example, and he only arrived at Anfield thanks to the expiry of his deal with Schalke.
James Milner is another success story, joining for free from Manchester City. But recent examples are thin on the ground, with Adrian and Andy Lonergan the last senior players to arrive for no fee, in the summer of 2019.
Six years later, perhaps it is time for Liverpool to revive the habit. Money is unlikely to be a major issue in this window, but free transfers can still be an astute way of leaving room for more business, and there are one or two intriguing names on the market.
One of those is Jonathan David. Linked with the club in the past, the 25-year-old is set to leave Lille on a free transfer this summer.
The fact that his contract is set to run out is no slight on his continued performance levels. He has notched 16 goals and five assists in Ligue 1 this season; he hit 19 and 24 in the two previous campaigns, but the division has shrunk from 20 to 18 teams, and there are also two games left of the current season for him to further improve his tally.
With such consistent output (and indeed availability) over a sustained period, the chance to sign David on a free transfer is bound to at least intrigue a number of top clubs. Sure enough, Arsenal and Liverpool are both said to be monitoring the situation.
(Image: Omar Vega/Getty Images)
A little more surprisingly, however, Mourinho is also potentially lining up a big play for the Canadian striker. And curiously, he might have the upper hand.
Currently at Fenerbahce, the former Chelsea and Manchester United manager has the advantage of significant financial backing. David’s wage demands could put off Premier League sides, who would likely see the striker as no more than a squad player, but the Super Lig has long been willing to oblige players with significant contracts.
Prominent status under Mourinho may also be a pull for David. Even with Liverpool and Arsenal both searching for strikers, he would struggle for game time guarantees at the sharp end of the Premier League.
For its part, Liverpool would raise eyebrows if it signed David for nothing and considered its attacking recruitment complete. And even if that were the case, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz would still provide stiff competition.
Ultimately, there is a question over whether David is that one tier below elite, or whether his output would scale up further at a better team. Any top Premier League club bringing him in explicitly to lead the line would be rolling the dice.
Learn more
By contrast, Mourinho can legitimately make a pitch to David to come and be the star of the show. He would be taking over from a 39-year-old Edin Dzeko.
In the end, however, the most likely scenario may be that Liverpool, Arsenal and Mourinho are all thwarted. Inter Milan is thought to be actively pursuing a deal.
One of Mourinho’s old clubs, David could reasonably expect to be an important figure there, and might have his wage demands met (although that is a potential sticking point). A Champions League semi-finalist, it would be a more prestige destination than the Turkish top flight.
The one certainty is that David won’t be short of options this summer. He will need to decide where his priorities lie — but if Liverpool could get a deal done on reasonable wages, it would be an astute addition to the roster.
