Who is Jonathan David? The Canadian hitman linked with Chelsea and Tottenham

Jonathan David is a name that has been drawn to transfer speculation for what seems like an eternity. With every passing window, the striker appears to be linked to an array of Premier League clubs - only this time, the speculation seems quite genuine.  

David is a supposed target of Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United, with each club looking to bolster their forward line this summer. 

The Canada international has consistently hit the high notes for Lille, scoring 84 goals across 183 games in all competitions. And in the last two campaigns, David has netted 26 on both occasions. 

Lille have undergone significant changes in ownership and grappled with long-standing debt issues. The club, therefore, have put a strong emphasis on identifying and nurturing talent with high potential. The likes of Rafael Leao, Nicolas Pepe, Sven Botman, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Victor Osimhen departed for significant fees in recent years, and now it looks like David could be the next in line.  

Jonathan David Transfer Value - how much is he worth now?    

According to FootballTransfer's Player Valuation Model, David has a current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €46m, while we have him as second in Most Valuable Canadian Players. 

What does Jonathan David bring to the table?    

"Anywhere you go, you want to be a household name. I think you want to put your name out there and be the one that people talk about." 

It’s quite evident that David is not short of ambition. And this is what you would expect from someone who started his journey playing amateur football with the Ottawa Internationals before becoming his nation’s most expensive player - his €30m switch from Genk to Lille even topping Alphonso Davies’ switch from Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019. 

In his inaugural season, David was integral to Lille. Being the Eidur Gudjohnsen to Burak Yilmaz’s Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in a 4-4-2 system under Christophe Galtier, he helped the French club to their first Ligue 1 title in a decade. 

Struggles were evident under Jocelyn Gourvennec but David once again thrived as the lone striker in Paulo Fonseca's 4-2-3-1, scoring 14 non-penalty goals. 

Data can be skewed. Its inabilty to efficiently highlight consistency is one of the many criticisms it faces from the die-hard eye-testers. There have been times where David’s goal input does not paint a comprehensive picture. 

In the 2021/22 season, David’s 12 league goals made him the top scorer in Ligue 1 at that point. However, he then experienced a drought, scoring just once in the following 17 league matches. 

Another five-game draught appeared in the 2022/23 season, though he still marked his best-ever total number of goals at this point with 26. 

David is a versatile forward who is not only clinical in his finishing but also in providing, with nine assists in all competitions for Les Dogues last campaign. He can play anywhere centrally, whether as a lone forward or in behind as a No.10, and uses his blistering pace to tear through the opposition's backline and get through on goal. 

WhoScored data shows that David generates 0.64 xG per 90 minutes, while shooting 0.24 xG in the same period. In Ligue 1, the 24-year-old made 2.3 shots per 90 minutes as well as 0.9 key passes. David rounded off his entire season with a WhoScored rating of 7.05, landing as the ninth-best attacker in the division overall.  

David has previously given hints about his future. In 2022 said to The Athletic: "There are so many great clubs in the world. I think you just have to find the right club for you that suits your style. And that will keep helping you get better. For me, that’s the ultimate goal." 

Of course, robust transfer speculation can lead to cynicism. It has surrounded David since his final season at Gent in the 2019/20 season, where his 25 goal contributions in 27 league games drew his name to attention. But don’t let the constant name-dropping dispel you: in David there is a real talent, and Lille’s valuation of €20-25m means he will have his choice of suitors this summer.

This article was provided by FootballTransfers