Lille signs Gent's Jonathan David for $A50 million
Lille has signed striker Jonathan David from Gent in a reported $A50 million deal to boost its attacking options further after losing Victor Osimhen to Napoli.
Osimhen, who scored 13 Ligue 1 goals last season, joined the Partenopei at the end of July in a deal that could eventually be worth €54m.
View this post on Instagram 💰Here’s how 21 year-old @victorosimhen9’s move to @officialsscnapoli compares with the most expensive transfers in @seriea history . . . #seriea #futbol #football #soccer #italy #napoli #ronaldo #juve #juventus #osimhen #cristiano #higauin #deligt A post shared by beIN SPORTS Australia (@beinsports_aus) on Aug 6, 2020 at 4:49pm PDT
While Lille moved quickly to bring in veteran Turkey forward Burak Yilmaz, a large chunk of the Osimhen fee was used to recruit Canada's David.
The 20-year-old has signed a five-year contract in Lille and will wear the number nine shirt, which previously belonged to Loic Remy, who is said to have failed a medical at Benevento in recent weeks.
David scored an impressive 37 goals in 83 games for Gent in all competitions, having made his debut in August 2018.
The American-born front man also has an outstanding strike rate at international level, netting 11 times in 12 senior matches for Canada.
"I'm really happy," David said. "I've been eagerly awaiting this day and it's a pleasure to be a Dogue.
"I know the project that has been put in place here by the president, [sporting director] Luis Campos and [head coach] Christophe Galtier. This is a very good team with great players.
"I want to play and to progress and I think that this is the perfect place."
