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‘Breakthrough expected’ - Aston Villa target edges closer to summer move as £12.8m demand 'made'

The 25-year-old is known to have admirers at Aston Villa and a number of top European sides

Aston Villa linked striker Jonathan David remains the subject of one of the most hotly contested transfer battles of the summer transfer window so far.

Canadian international David has not signed a new contract with Lille and is expected to leave the French giants on a free transfer after an incredible five-year stint at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy which has seen him establish himself as one of the very best finishers in Ligue 1.

However, it’s not just in France where he has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned and he’s also showcased his talent on the European stage with 10 goals in 18 appearances in the Champions League, with some his most notable goals coming against the likes of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund among others.

Aston Villa admire Jonathan David

Villa are just one of a number of teams to express strong interest in the 25-year-old, with Tottenham Hotspur and Napoli all also showing strong interest in the forward.

However, it appears at this stage, based on reports from Italian outlet La Gazzeta, that Juventus are now the favourites to land the highly coveted striker in a real statement of intent as Igor Tudor aims to guide the club, he once represented as a player, back to the summit of Italian football.

David has yet to finalise a move to Juventus because his camp is reportedly demanding £12.8m in commissions, but reports suggest a breakthrough is expected in the coming weeks with the Turin based side welcoming the player into their side in time for the new Serie A season.

Why Aston Villa missed out on Joanthan David

According to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa missed out on a deal with Jonathan David as they were simply unable to meet Lille’s valuation or meet the player’s wage demands.

He explained last summer during his daily briefing: "David was one of the players that was most enquired about this summer, from many teams. It looked like Aston Villa would go after him with everything they had, but the deal never came off because they could not find an agreement with either the player or the club."

Meanwhile, any hopes of the club returning to the table with a fresh offer this summer seem to have been scuppered by the club’s ongoing profit and sustainability issues (PSR) with Villa reportedly needing to sell at least one first team name to help comply with the Premier League’s rules.

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