Football
Exclusive: Brighton Leading the Race to Sign Lille Striker Jonathan David on a Free
Brighton has entered the race to sign Lille striker Jonathan David on a free transfer. The sought-after forward is valued at £40million, with several top clubs including Liverpool, Chelsea, and Manchester United interested. David has had a successful career, scoring 109 goals for Lille and 37 goals for Gent. The bidding war for his services is heating up as he weighs his options for the future.
Paris Saint-Germain FC v Lille OSC - Ligue 1 McDonald's by Franco Arland | Getty Images
Brighton have joined the race to sign sought-after Lille striker Jonathan David on a free transfer, SportsBoom can reveal.
Canada hitman David is out of contract next month and a string of clubs have been linked with trying to grab a bargain buy.
Davis is valued at £40million in many quarters and so Liverpool, West Ham, Newcastle United, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have all, at one stage over the last few months, been linked with trying to sign the 25-year-old marksman.
But SportsBoom understands the Seagulls have now thrown their hat in the ring to try and secure David’s services.
Serie A side Napoli were linked with the player over the weekend, but it is understood David would prefer a move to the Premier League.
And it is growing ever likely that a bidding war for his services will take place with his contract on countdown.
Which club can offer the biggest wages looks set to be the final piece of the jigsaw as David weighs up his next move.
New York-born David signed for French outfit Lille on a five-year deal worth a reported £25million in August 2020.
The former Gent striker has flourished for the Ligue 1 side and banged in an impressive 109 goals across five seasons with the club.
GOAL STREAK
This season has scored 25 goals in 47 appearances, having scored 26 goals the two previous seasons respectively.
Goals have never been a problem for David, he scored 37 in 83 appearances as a blossoming teenager at Gent in the Belgian Pro League.
And then he wasted no time in hitting the ground running at Lille, steadily attracting the attention of a number of Europe’s top clubs because of his goalscoring exploits.
David has already been capped 61 times by Canada at senior level having also played for his country’s Under-17 and Under-21 sides respectively.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is understood to be a big admirer and would welcome the chance to try and entice the player to the American Express Stadium.
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Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.