Jonathan David FC BarcelonaKen Russo on Unsplash">
Camp Nou FC Barcelona
Jonathan David is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, any club that wishes to sign him will still need to pay around €80 million.
LaLiga giants Barcelona have a long-standing interest in the 24-year-old while Premier League giants like Arsenal and Manchester United have also been linked with him. However, these clubs will have to be ready to pay a premium which includes salaries, agent fees and also a joining bonus.
All this will add up to around €80 million and since this is a significant amount we decided to take a look at whether the suitors should pay such a steep price for the Canadian international.
Is Jonathan David worth €80 million?
Any player who is signing as a free agent will undoubtedly ask for inflated wages and given the other options that will be available in the summer, Jonathan David will still be a sensible move.
Players like Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Erling Haaland will also be the subject of transfer interest but all of them will have massive transfer fees on their shoulders.
The Canadian international has scored 101 goals in 206 appearances for Lille and this season, he has already netted 17 goals in just 23 games for the French side.
In 1089 minutes of league football, Jonathan David has an xG of 8.95 and an xA of 1.52 from just 18 shots on target. He has been a consistent performer for Lille over the previous four seasons and this campaign, he has a passing accuracy of 81.7%.
Apart from a proper centre-forward role, David can also play as a second striker and a No. 10 and this versatility is a bonus. His off-the-ball movement is top notch and he’s also an ambidextrous striker who is great at one-on-one scenarios.
€80 million might seem a lot of money but with the kind of performances he has given in recent years, Jonathan David is easily worth that much. Also, other strikers like Gyokeres and Sesko will set back clubs by around €90-100 million and that’s the only transfer fee they’ll have to pay.
Arsenal, Barca and even Man United are in need of a consistent striker for the 2025/26 season and Jonathan David might be one of the few affordable strikers available during the upcoming summer window.