Arsenal target Jonathan David has revealed he hopes to play in the Premier League one day, boosting the Gunners' hopes of landing the Gent striker should they decide to concretise their interest.
As confirmed by Goal, Mikel Arteta's side are keeping track of the Canada international's progress as they prepare for the possibility that they could lose one of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette in the summer.
The Gent forward has scored 23 goals in all competitions for the club this season, with Jess Thorup's side currently second in the league while having also reached the Europa League round of 32 before being knocked out by Roma.
David scored in the return leg against the Italians and insists that while a move to England would be of interest, he doesn't want to join a club that would see him sitting on the bench.
He told the Guardian: "I don’t really focus on that or think much about it. Right now I’m playing almost every minute of every game and that has really helped me get to the level that I need to be.
"I just need to take a good step where I can make sure I am getting enough time on the pitch to keep developing. I don’t want to go somewhere and just stay on the bench so it’s about taking the right step.
"I want to become one of the best strikers in the world. That’s my goal. The Premier League is the best in the world and most competitive so obviously that is somewhere I would love to play in the future."
The 20-year-old also spoke highly of current club Gent, who allowed him to miss a selection of matches in December to return home following the death of his mother, Rose.
"It meant a lot to me," he added. "It was a difficult situation and I needed the support of people around me. The club knew the best thing for me was to be around my family so they let me take the time that I needed and obviously I’m very grateful for that."
David was born in New York but rejected the chance to play for the USMNT, instead deciding to play his international football for Canada. Explaining the decision, he said: "Canada has given me a good life and made me the man I am today.
"I’m grateful for that and now it is really about giving back to the country which gave to me. That’s why for me it was a no-brainer picking Canada and really trying to do something special with the group we have now and put the country where it needs to be.
"For all of us the target is the World Cup in 2022, which I think we have a great chance of qualifying for. It would be amazing to play on home soil in 2026 but we know that is in the future."