LIGUE !
US-born striker Jonathan David going head-to-head with PSG star Kylian Mbappé in Ligue 1
Premier League clubs are interested in Canada international Jonathan David, who could pip Mbappé to the top scorer prize in France.
Born in New York to Haitian parents and raised in Ottawa, Canada, 23-year-old Jonathan David has become one of the leading lights of Ligue 1 in France and is currently tied with Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappé at the top of the goalscoring charts. The Canadian international may not have had an easy time of things at first in Lille, but hard work and plenty of sacrifice has seen the young forward explode onto the global soccer scene.
David the hat-trick hero for Lille
On Friday, the 2021 French champions were involved in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Lyon, throwing away a two-goal lead with just two minutes left on the clock. The match didn’t end the way they would’ve wanted it to but David couldn’t be faulted; he scored a hat-trick, including two penalties, once again demonstrating his goalscoring prowess and that he needs few touches of the ball to find the net. At one stage last summer, it looked certain that he would make the move to the Premier League but the forward, who started his professional career with Gent in Belgium, opted to spend another year in the north of France, where the goals continue to rain.
How much did Lille spend on Jonathan David?
David become Lille’s most expensive ever signing in August 2020. Les Dogues splashed out €27 million for his services following the sale of Victor Osimhen to Serie A side Napoli for €70 million. His first few weeks and months at the club were by no means easy and, with confidence low, it took him until the third week of November to score his first goal. However, he went from strength to strength as the season wore on and finished the campaign with 13 goals, which helped Lille snatch an unlikely league title away from PSG, who were heavy favourites to lift the trophy.
Now established as a key player for the French side, he surpassed his goals tally in his second season, netting 15 times in Ligue 1 and three in the Champions League, where Lille made it to the round of 16 before being eliminated by Chelsea. In December, his agent said that David would leave the club at the end of the season but the €50 million tag placed on his head scared off potential Premier League suitors.
David surpasses Eden Hazard’s record
The Canadian has kicked on once again this term and is now Ligue 1′s joint top marksman, tied on 19 goals with Mbappé. David (53 goals) has surpassed Eden Hazard (50), now struggling at Real Madrid, as Lille’s all-time top scorer in the 21st century and his performances throughout the campaign have been almost faultless. Finishing the season as the league top goalscorer is a realistic goal (pardon the pun), although he is, of course, up against a formidable opponent in Paris. In any case, Lille are currently reaping the rewards of David’s exploits on the field and their bank balance is sure to look healthier when his inevitable departure comes.