{"id":43549,"date":"2022-06-28T19:30:03","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T23:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/?p=43549"},"modified":"2022-06-28T19:30:03","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T23:30:03","slug":"where-jonathan-david-go-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2022\/06\/28\/where-jonathan-david-go-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Should Jonathan David go Next?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>ANALYSIS<\/strong> \u2013 The Jonathan David move has felt inevitable for a long time given his contributions to Lille OSC.<\/p>\n<h2>Jonathan David: Where Should he Go Next?<\/h2>\n<p><a id=\"Vh9-5Xr0QTBwGPxt2MTasw\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1239318316\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'Vh9-5Xr0QTBwGPxt2MTasw',sig:'z9V4N0QbODgKKTho4TIzVkzYtwtX2VK4eWZAhuXDLig=',w:'594px',h:'446px',items:'1239318316',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since LOSC Lille won the Ligue 1 title over a year ago, the transfer of Jonathan David from the club has felt more like an inevitability each passing day.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the massive achievement of dethroning Paris Saint-Germain, it took just two days for an exodus to begin at Lille. Christophe Galtier stepped down from his position as head coach, joining then-sixth-place OGC Nice <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getfootballnewsfrance.com\/2021\/ogc-nice-in-pole-to-hire-christophe-galtier-lequipe\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on a deal that doubled his salary<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Not long after, Boubakary Soumar\u00e9 and Mike Maignan were sold at a relatively modest rate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The champions then began their title defence by winning just five of their first 19 games this season. Star winger Jonathan Ikon\u00e9 jumped ship to ACF Florentina in the January transfer window. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Things were looking grim at Lille, be it for Jonathan David\u2019s league-leading 12 goals. On the back of the Canadian\u2019s three goals in the final three games of the group stage, they also found themselves in the Champions League Round of 16 against Chelsea.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Jonathan David&#8217;s transfer value<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">David\u2019s transfer value was at an all-time high of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transfermarkt.us\/jonathan-david\/profil\/spieler\/533738\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$55 million USD<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and rumours were swirling around the striker: Liverpool, Arsenal, and West Ham were all heavily linked. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the summer transfer window now open, the situation has changed significantly. Liverpool spent over $100 million on Darwin Nunez and neither West Ham nor Arsenal qualified for the Champions League. David\u2019s transfer value has ever-so-slightly dropped to $49.5 million after a tough second half for both the player and the club, as Lille finished tenth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What hasn\u2019t changed is that Jonathan David\u2019s transfer still seems inevitable: plenty of clubs still need a striker, David will be looking to play at the highest level possible with the upcoming mid-season World Cup, and teams will be looking to avoid paying the tax that comes with a good performance at the sport\u2019s most prestigious competition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s take a look at the most likely landing spots for Jonathan David this summer.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AC Milan<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The European giants are truly back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I Rossoneri <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">won their first scudetto in over a decade this year and have quietly built one of the best young teams in Europe. David could join former teammates Mike Maignan and Renato Sanches, who has reached a verbal agreement with the club, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.getfootballnewsfrance.com\/2022\/ac-milan-have-reached-a-verbal-agreement-with-renato-sanches\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">according to Fabrizio Romano<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N3M5yTNzt0A<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milan boasts a core of Rafael Le\u0101o, Sandro Tonalo, Theo Hern\u00e1ndez, Fiyako Tomori, as well as the aforementioned Maignan and Sanches &#8211; and they are all signed through 2024. Paolo Maldini is building a project here. David would slot in nicely as a number nine or alongside Oliver Giroud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There hasn\u2019t been any concrete interest from Milan, but there have been reports from Italian outlets such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/onesoccer.ca\/a\/report-ac-milan-in-for-canada-striker-lille-osc-jonathan-david-canmnt\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gazzeto dello Sport<\/span><\/i><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stating that David is on the radar of the champions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milan looks like they can guarantee David Champions League appearances for the prime years of his career. They have plenty of emerging superstars who are dedicated to the project and will be able to attract more. The prospect of Johnny getting crosses from Hernandez and playing next to Leao is a tantalizing one. I am personally advocating for this move to go through.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Likelihood: 2\/10<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FC Barcelona<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GQ0lTF56OQ4&amp;t=2s\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an interview with David\u2019s academy coach<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at Louis-Riel, Jo\u00e9 Fournier mentioned that he sees Barcelona as the Ottawa native\u2019s dream club. He does have ties to the club &#8211; He practiced one summer with FC Barcelona\u2019s academy in Ottawa. David would be a natural fit in Xavi\u2019s system as he is a gifted finisher who thrives in build-up play. The collection of U23 talent at Barcelona &#8211; Pedri, Ansu Fati, Gavi, and Ferran Torres &#8211; is arguably unparalleled in club football.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This move looks unlikely to happen this summer as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FabrizioRomano\/status\/1533017252521467905?s=20&amp;t=DXqVlOSnKOA2htVuEhj9RQ\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Robert Lewandowski has reportedly signed a three-year deal with the Culers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. However, that opens up a spot at Bayern Munich\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Likelihood: 1\/10<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bayern<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is not clear whether the Bavarians view the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bavarianfootballworks.com\/2022\/6\/15\/23169013\/fabrizio-romano-bayern-munich-liverpool-star-sadio-mane-gnabry-sane-coman-musiala-lewandowski-muller\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reportedly incoming<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Sadio Mane as a replacement for Lewandowski or are still looking for an orthodox number nine. The Senegalese forward has played as a striker before, but never on his own.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Enter <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2021\/09\/04\/lille-jonathan-david-timothy-weah\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_self\">Jonathan David<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are obvious links here with Davies at the club, but David would also be a natural fit for Julian Nagelsmann\u2019s counter-pressing system. According to Tifo Football, the Canadian\u2019s 19.75 pressures per 90 rank him in the 92nd percentile of European forwards. He would also have the opportunity to learn from one of the most intelligent forwards of our generation, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=sZsJo7ZKdjQ\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">raumdeuter<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thomas M\u00fcller.<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Alphonso Davies &amp; Jonathan David have been shortlisted for the 2021 Concacaf Men\u2019s Player of the Year Award! \ud83c\udf41<\/p>\n<p>Vote now: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/kwciqJfWTy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/t.co\/kwciqJfWTy<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/CANMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#CANMNT<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/4hX6bYNTvn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/4hX6bYNTvn<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CanadaSoccerEN\/status\/1489700395425447939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">February 4, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, the thrilling prospect of David and Davies linking up in Bavaria seems to be at least a few years from fruition. I\u2019m not sure if David has the profile yet to replace someone like Lewandowski. With that being said, Bayern has made a habit in recent years of purchasing talent before they reach their peaks: Ajax starlets Ryan Gravenberch (20) and Noussair Mazraoui (24) have been the club\u2019s first two signings of the summer. Davies, Goretzka, Gnabry, and Upamecano also come to mind.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Likelihood: 1\/10<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arsenal<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This move looked a lot more likely at the beginning of 2022. There were reports from sites in England almost every day linking the Gunners to David. Things have cooled off significantly, largely due to Arsenal\u2019s well-documented interest in Gabriel Jesus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It looks like the English club could complete a \u00a350 million move for the Man City forward <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/football\/61937038\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">as early this week<\/a>, which leaves David without a realistic suitor for the time being. It\u2019s a shame really, as he could have been a good fit for manager Mikel Arteta, who has a similar desire to Nagelsmann to win the ball high up the pitch. Arsenal also possesses an array of young talent: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin \u00d8degaard, and Emile Smith Rowe are all emerging Premier League stars.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Jesus possesses a similar profile to David and is likely to be Arsenal&#8217;s number nine for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n<p><b><i>Likelihood: 1\/10<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<p>There are several other potential landing spots for the 22-year-old: Aston Villa, Newcastle, West Ham, Inter Milan, and RB Leipzig have all been brought up in the Canadian media as options.<\/p>\n<p>This week, Lille has hired Paulo Fonseca, who took AS Roma to the Europa League semi-finals in 2021 and won three Ukrainian Premier Leagues with FC Shakhtar Donetsk. There is a chance he remains on the roster &#8211; he has one season left on his contract. However, the summer window has just begun and David is one of the top young forwards available.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ANALYSIS \u2013 The Jonathan David move has felt inevitable for a long time given his contributions to Lille OSC. Jonathan David: Where Should he Go Next? Embed from Getty Images Since LOSC Lille won the Ligue 1 title over a year ago, the transfer of Jonathan David from the club has felt more like an [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4223,"featured_media":43609,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3406],"tags":[557,3175,4524],"class_list":["post-43549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-canada-mnt","tag-alphonso-davies","tag-jonathan-david","tag-lille-osc"],"modified_by":"Raheem Bashir, Site Manager","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4223"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43549"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43549\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}