Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne, Virgil van Dijk, Joshua Kimmich, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alphonso Davies, Son Heung-min… These are all players entering the final year of their contracts, potentially available as free agents next summer. Some will renew with their current clubs, while others might leave, but perhaps the most sought-after player in this situation is Canadian forward Jonathan David (24).The Lille attacker may not have the same star power as the aforementioned names, but he’s likely to be in higher demand than most of them. Firstly, because he’s younger, and secondly, because he’s more affordable and won’t demand exorbitant wages like the others.David’s contract with Lille expires at the end of the season, and there’s almost no chance of an extension. The club from northern France has essentially given up trying to convince him to stay. Their only chance to profit from David would be to sell him in January, but the feasibility of that remains in question.##NAJAVA_MECA_8507711##A host of big clubs are keeping an eye on David’s situation. Juventus have been monitoring him the longest, but Inter, Arsenal, Liverpool… and Bayern have also shown interest. German Sky Sports reports that the Bavarians are highly interested in David. Sporting director Max Eberl has been tracking him since his days at Borussia Mönchengladbach, though David moved from Gent to Lille at the time.This season, the Canadian has scored 13 goals in 19 matches, netting against Real Madrid, Juventus, and Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, proving he’s ready for the biggest stages. Bayern, despite having Harry Kane firmly established as their leading striker, hasn’t ignored David’s potential. The problem lies in the lack of a suitable alternative to Kane. Young Mathys Tel hasn’t impressed in that role and could be sent on loan in January, prompting Bayern to consider David.Juventus remain the frontrunner for signing David, as they urgently need a striker. Whether as a backup for Dušan Vlahović or a potential replacement for the Serbian forward, David fits the bill. Milik was supposed to play that role but is constantly injured. Juventus had been eyeing Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United for January, but with new manager Amorim in charge, it’s unlikely the Dutchman will leave Old Trafford after just six months. This makes David the most realistic option.🚨🔴 Max Eberl has been following Jonathan #David for several years and has always kept an eye on him, including now at FC Bayern as revealed. What makes him so interesting for Bayern is that the 24-year-old striker is most likely coming onto the market on a free transfer next… pic.twitter.com/AYDpAH1ize— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) November 17, 2024 Last winter, Juventus negotiated with Lille in a similar situation. Portuguese defender Tiago Djaló had entered the final six months of his contract and had an agreement to join Inter as a free agent. Lille didn’t want to lose him for nothing, so Juventus stepped in and paid slightly over €5 million to secure Djaló immediately. A similar arrangement could happen with David, though his price tag is significantly higher.Lille won’t let the Canadian leave in January for less than €20 million, a hefty price for someone with only six months left on his contract. However, Juventus might offer something close to that and win the race early. This is especially likely given the uncertainty surrounding Vlahović’s future. Negotiations to extend his contract have stalled completely, increasing the chances that Juve could sell the Serbian international next summer to recoup a respectable fee. Vlahović’s current deal is expensive (€23 million gross annually) and runs until the summer of 2025.Bayern Munich eyeing four top strikers to bolster competition for Harry Kane
