Jonathan David's agent expects Lille departure in 2022

The agent of Lille striker Jonathan David has confirmed that the Canada international will leave the club at the end of the season.

The 21-year-old, who joined from Gent in 2020, has been in sensational form for Lille this season, sitting atop the Ligue 1 scoring charts with a return of 11 goals in 18 games.

There has been no shortage of interest in David. From England, Arsenal and West Ham have both recently been linked with the striker, while Liverpool's interest has been around for a while.

From mainland Europe, Real Madrid and Inter have both been keeping a close eye on his services. A transfer has been rumoured for a while now, and agent Nick Mavromaras has now confirmed he expects his client to be on the move at the end of the season.

"I can't say his price today, that has to do with Lille," Mavromaras told Radio Canada's Tellement Soccer podcast. "Jonathan won't show it, but he knows he is one of the best young forwards in the world.

"There is also Erling Haaland, who now costs between €75m and €100m. There have been transfers of €150m. If you want to be part of that list, you have to learn to manage the pressure.

"For us, the goal is to finish the season in Lille, but it will be his last season there for several reasons. I think the Premier League is a great option for him. I think he likes Spain a lot too because he likes playing with the ball and alongside very technical players. These two leagues are a big priority for him, but nothing is excluded. You never know, with Paris Saint-Germain or the big Italian clubs.

"It's normal that all these big clubs are interested in the top scorer in Ligue 1, but I can tell you that today, there is no official offer."

David, who remains under contract until 2025, will definitely not come cheap. He has bagged 22 league goals in 2021, half of which have come in a thoroughly underwhelming Lille side this season.

Having won the Ligue 1 title last year, Lille sit down in eighth this time around. They are five points adrift of the top four and missing out on Champions League football may well lower David's asking price slightly.

Lille operate on a policy of trying to sell one superstar player every summer, and while Mavromanos' words suggest David could be the one leaving, there is significant interest in a number of Lille's top talents.

Renato Sanches and Sven Botman have both attracted significant interest from overseas, while Jonathan Ikone is on the cusp of signing for Fiorentina.


Source : 90min