Jonathan David in action for Canada.
Jonathan David's future remains undecided.
With Liam Delap making the decision to swap Portman Road for Stamford Bridge, it remains to be seen who Manchester United will turn to in their search for a striker.
United have prioritised the addition of a No.9 this summer after ending a second successive Premier League campaign with a negative goal difference, but after missing out on Delap, who was originally their top target, they are yet to settle on a preferred alternative.
Delap was attainable via a £30million release clause this summer, meaning a deal would have been relatively straightforward to have completed had he favoured a return to Manchester and a move to Old Trafford.
Instead, his decision to join Chelsea has forced United to explore alternative avenues, and they are yet to have found the answer they are looking for.
It is no secret the likes of Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres, Napoli ace Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt are continuing to be linked with moves to M16, but each of them would command a hefty-sized transfer fee.
Having signed Matheus Cunha for £62.5m and Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo looking as though he could command a similar fee, United's focus will soon have to turn to outgoings to fund further additions. They do not have unlimited funds available to them this summer.
As a result of failing to qualify for next season's Champions League, United must box clever with their recruitment this summer. They cannot - and will not - get into the habit of spending recklessly like they have in recent years.
With that unwanted reputation and the profit and sustainability rules [PSR] to be mindful of, United may have to be a little bit shrewd in some of their recruitment decisions.
With their striker search yet to lead them to a concrete target as of yet, United cannot ignore the fact soon-to-be free agent Jonathan David remains available. He will officially leave Lille when his contract expires at the end of this month and his next move is yet to be determined.
Jonathan David is available on a free transfer. (Image: Oscar del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images.)
After scoring 25 goals in 2024/25, David, who has formed one of the most impressive goalscoring records in Europe over the last few seasons, is an attractive option for any club in need of a striker this summer.
The Canadian international, 25, scored 109 goals in 232 games for Lille over five seasons and it is no surprise he is being linked with a cluster of big-name European clubs, including Juventus, Napoli and Barcelona.
United have loosely been linked with him, too, at various stages over the last few months amid their need for a goal-getter. David was directly involved in 37 goals in the 2024/25 campaign, contributing 12 assists in addition to the 25 goals he plundered.
Seven of his 25 goals came in the Champions League and included strikes against Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool, demonstrating he can deliver the goods at the highest level. He has ten goals in 18 career appearances in Europe's premier club competition.
As a result, many anticipated the former Gent striker's future would have been decided relatively quickly this summer amid the likelihood a queue would form for his signature. However, his current focus is on Canada's CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign, which kicked off with a 6-0 win over Honduras on Wednesday.
With international commitments currently at the forefront of David's mind, his future at club level is unlikely to be decided imminently, meaning there is still time for United to show their hand and attempt to lure the striker to Old Trafford.
Strikers of David's ilk do not come up on the market for free very often, meaning it would be naive of United to turn a blind eye when they are in such desperate need of a reliable goalscorer.
The Canadian has scored 25 goals or more in each of the last three seasons, meaning he has the level of reliability in front of goal United need. For however long he remains available, United should not give up on signing him.