Revealed: Why 'free' transfer for Lille star Jonathan David could still cost whopping £28m - with Premier League clubs including Man Utd and Liverpool put off by huge demands

David's contract with Lille is set to expire at the end of the season, and with the player adamant against renewing, he is set to be in high demand this summer as a free agent. However, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri (h/t Get French Football News), potential suitors, including Premier League heavyweights Manchester United and Liverpool, could be put off by the Canadian's exorbitant wage demands.

Last week, The Daily Mail reported that as many as seven teams from the Premier League were interested in signing David for free this summer - Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, West Ham, Newcastle, and Tottenham.

Tavolieri's report, however, could put a spanner in the works as far as the aforementioned teams' transfer plans for this summer are concerned. The 25-year-old is demanding a £7.5m gross annual salary, along with a £12.5m signing bonus. The additional commission fees would then amount up to £8.3m, meaning that the entire operation to sign David for free would cost a club over £28m.

While David's substantial wage demands would likely lead Premier League teams to withdraw their interest, Serie A giants Juventus and Inter Milan are still keen on acquiring the Canadian international's services. In fact, the former were already linked to a January move.

David is having a terrific season, scoring 23 goals in 42 games in all competitions. He is on course to overtake his personal-best tally of 26 goals in a season for Lille, which he achieved twice (the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons). He will next be seen in action on Saturday when Lille travel to Lyon.