West Ham United legend Paolo di Canio is not one to pull his punches, with Juventus’ struggling centre-forward Jonathan David the latest to feel the Italian’s fist.
The door may have opened for West Ham to make a fresh approach for the Canada international this summer. Jonathan David has endured a difficult season in Turin, having joined Juventus from LOSC Lille on a free transfer in 2024.
And Paolo di Canio, who represented Serie A giants Milan, Lazio and the Bianconeri before writing his name into the West Ham United history books, believes his old employers should waste no time in pulling the plug.
West Ham could FINALLY sign Jonathan David! 💰
The Juventus striker will be available this summer…
Jonathan David during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and Como
Photo by Daniele Badolato – Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images
Di Canio was speaking after Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti left both David and Lois Openda – who has also struggled for goals since joining from RB Leipzig – on the bench for the duration of Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Sassuolo.
“The rejection of David and Openda is definitive,” Di Canio told Sky. “These two can’t be here [next season].”
West Ham United must be wary of Juventus striker Jonathan David
Hammers News can confirm that Jonathan David had little interest in joining West Ham once Juventus made their interest known. He might be more open to the idea 12 months on, however, presuming Nuno Espirito Santo can secure another season of Premier League football at the London Stadium.
TuttoJuve, earlier this month, claimed that West Ham are one of seven English-based clubs sniffing around.
Jonathan David during Juventus v Galatasaray A.S. - UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Knockout Play-off Second Leg
Photo by Alberto Gandolfo/BSR Agency/Getty Images
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A prolific goalscorer in both Ligue 1 and the Champions League, David has found the physicality of Serie A football difficult to contend with. Spalletti himself indicated that the 26-year-old is ill-suited to leading the line with his back to goal against teams who tend to sit deep.
David has scored only five goals while starting 14 matches in Italy’s top flight.
“David has those characteristics, he’s a player who doesn’t thrive on contact,” Spalletti explained recently. “When you fire the ball into him, it becomes a prison for him. If you give him a bad pass, it becomes even harder because that’s not his game.
“He’s more suited to ‘clean’ play.”
Considering what Nuno Espirito Santo usually asks from his centre-forwards – see Raul Jimenez and Chris Wood, prolific under him at Wolves and Nottingham Forest – David does not feel like a particularly natural fit.
At Lille, he was at his most effective when running into passes in behind opposition defences. With space at a premium in Italy, David has struggled. A striker in Nuno’s system is often asked to drop deep, hold off defenders and open up spaces for the wingers. If Wood and Jimenez were perfectly-suited for such a system, David’s Turin troubles are a warning the Hammers must heed.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, David’s market value this summer is likely to be around £25 million. Openda has found life difficult for similar reasons; a speedy channel-runner who excelled in transition in the Bundesliga netting only once in 23 Serie A games.
“I have doubts about [David’s] adaptability to the Italian league,” former Azzurri goalkeeper Luca Marchegiani tells Sky. “In terms of his attitude, his teammates love him, so he clearly has a positive attitude even during training.
“In my opinion, in a game like ours, where defences are tight, he doesn’t have the characteristics to stand out.”
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