Lille's Jonathan David is one of the best strikers in Europe and a free agent this summer - so why on earth is no one talking about him?!

David was born in New York City but moved to Haiti while he was still a toddler, and emigrated with his family to Canada after turning six. The Lille ace wasn't even interested in football at that stage, as he revealed in an interview with UEFA in 2022: "We used to play American football. I first got into football when I was 10. My dad decided to just put me in a team."

It turned out to be an inspired decision. David joined local club Ottawa Gloucester Hornets in 2011 and developed his passion for the game over the next seven years, eventually reaching a high enough level to convince coach Hanny El-Magraby to put him forward for trials with Stuttgart and Red Bull Salzburg.

Neither of those clubs offered David a contract, but he would still seal a move across the Atlantic at the age of 18, with Belgian outfit Gent identifying him as a future star. David rewarded their faith within the space of just seven months, scoring on his senior debut in a league clash against Zulte Waregem in August 2018, and quickly became the focal point in the team.

David scored 37 goals across his first two seasons at Gent, earning the title of Canada Soccer's Men's Player of the Year in 2019, which led his then-manager Jess Thorup to tellTransfermarkt: "I have to say the boy belongs in a top league. He has everything to become a star in world football, not just as an athlete but also because of his personality."

Arsenal and Manchester United were among a host of clubs linked with David after his rapid rise to prominence in Belgium, but Lille smashed their transfer record to win the race for the then-20-year-old, and saw an immediate return on their investment.

Against all odds, Lille wrestled the Ligue 1 crown away from big-spending Paris Saint-Germain in David's maiden season. He played a central role in the club's first title triumph in 10 years, too, registering 18 goal involvements while forming an impressive partnership with Turkish frontman Burak Yılmaz.

Unfortunately, Lille couldn't build on that platform, slumping to 10th the following campaign, but David proved he was no one-season wonder by plundering 19 goals across all competitions, earning special praise from ex-Canada assistant coach Steven Caldwell. "Jonny is pretty special and I think he can play for any team in the world," Caldwell told BBC Sport. "He's a cold assassin and very clinical."

David lived up to that billing in 2022-23 as he scored another 26 goals, and managed to equal that tally last term while also posting nine assists as Lille sealed a return to the Champions League by finishing fourth in Ligue 1. Reports of an imminent Premier League move surfaced again, with Chelsea and Aston Villa the two clubs at the head of the queue this time, but when the summer deadline passed, David was still on the books at LOSC.

“It just didn’t happen,” David told The Athletic in September when quizzed on why a transfer never came to fruition. “There were a couple of offers and we just didn’t finish the deal, that’s it.”

He also confirmed that talks were underway with Lille over a potential contract renewal, but his follow-up remarks go a long way to explaining why that hasn't happened yet either. "I’m open to anything," David added. "I think obviously the Premier League is regarded as one of the best leagues in the world. And for me it’s not the Premier League or bust. I’m open to anything and every league has its challenges."

Two months later, in another interview with The Athletic, the Canada international issued what amounted to a come-and-get-me plea to Barcelona. "They were always the team I grew up supporting," he declared. "When you grow up supporting a team, it’s your dream to play for them."

David is clearly desperate to take the next step in his career, but no one is biting. His chances of a January move certainly appear to be dwindling by the day, with Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth telling GiveMeSport: "My information is that Lille won’t be doing any business on him in this transfer window. I think there’s an acceptance that he won’t be signing a new contract and he’ll leave for free in the summer. He might not even sign a pre-contract agreement with anyone."

David is not being penalised for any kind of drop-off in performance. He's on course for the best individual season of his career to date, having racked up 17 goals in his first 30 outings for Lille, and has announced himself to a global audience with his dazzling displays in the Champions League.

Bruno Genesio's side have been a surprise package in Europe this term, picking up 13 points out of a possible 18 in the new league phase. David netted the only goal in a 1-0 home win over Real Madrid before scoring a brace in Lille's thrilling 3-1 win away at Atletico Madrid, and he was also on target in their 1-1 draw with Juventus on matchday four.

As if that wasn't enough, David has also been in great form for the Canada men's national team since Jesse Marsch's appointment as head coach in May 2024. The former Gent prospect has been involved in eight of the 10 goals Canada have scored across Marsch's first 13 games at the helm, with the former Leeds United boss describing him as "the most intelligent player I've ever coached".

Marsch has also expressed his belief that David can become one of the best players in the world, but that won't happen if he stays at Lille. Unfortunately, David is currently playing in a league right in the middle of a serious identity crisis, and he must spread his wings to unlock his full potential.

PSG have won 12 of the last 14 Ligue 1 titles, and they're well on their way to retaining their crown, having opened up a nine-point lead at the summit after just 18 games. The loss of Kylian Mbappe, and indeed Neymar and Lionel Messi in the years prior, has not hampered PSG in the slightest; they still have the most strength in depth and the financial muscle to price their domestic rivals out of the market for big-name players.

Marseille, Lille, Monaco, Nice and Lyon make up the rest of the top six, but none of them can realistically challenge PSG, and the overall competitiveness of the league has dropped significantly. To make matters worse, there is a good chance PSG won't qualify for the Champions League knockout stages this season, which would further highlight Ligue 1's dwindling status as one of the top divisions in Europe.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plies his trade for Al-Nassr in the Middle East, caused a stir at the Globe Soccer Awards in December as he launched an impromptu attack on the French top flight, claiming: "The Saudi Pro League is better than Ligue 1, of course. I'm not saying that because I play here. In France, they only have PSG, everyone else is finished. Nobody can beat them because they have the most money and the best players."

The first half of that rant is just plain wrong, and Ronaldo deserved the backlash he received from the French media, but it's hard to argue with the second part, and David is one of the many victims of PSG's unprecedented dominance. It doesn't matter how well the Canadian sharp-shooter continues to play at Lille, he'll never get the credit he deserves because Ligue 1 is now a one-club division.

Luck is not on David's side either. In any other year, he'd be heading into the summer window as one of the most desirable free agents in Europe, but the competition in 2025 is fiercer than ever.

Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk have all dominated headlines amid a perceived contract stand-off with club owners FSG, and may well leave for nothing at the end of the season, with Real Madrid, PSG and a host of clubs in Saudi Arabia reportedly poised to swoop for their services.

Elsewhere, Bayern Munich are at risk of losing Joshua Kimmich, Alphonso Davies and Leroy Sane, while Kevin De Bruyne is expected to bring the curtain down on his illustrious nine-year career at Manchester City. Speculation has also been raging over the futures of Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, though Al-Nassr and Inter Miami are reportedly set to trigger one-year extensions for their respective poster boys, while Al-Hilal's Neymar is said to be closing in on a sensational return to boyhood club Santos.

With all that going on, it seems David is out of sight and out of mind, which is not an unfamiliar situation for him. "To be honest, I don’t get as much attention,” he said to The Athletic last year. “If you compare me to anyone, really. You go out with [Canada team-mate Davies] and there’s guys waiting for him at the hotel, everywhere.”

David will have another opportunity to prove his worth on the biggest stage when Lille travel to Anfield to take on Premier League leaders Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday, and a star turn capped with a goal or two could reignite his hopes of a dream summer move. But he really shouldn't be under that kind of pressure.

There are not many players with the same skillset as David. He's a two-footed forward who can play anywhere across the frontline and thrives when running in behind defences and with his back to goal.

Few can keep pace with David when he puts on the after-burners, and he has a knack for creating space, whether by instigating quick combinations or dribbling past multiple defenders. Add to that his unerring composure in the final third, which has earned him the nickname 'Iceman' in the Canada dressing room, and you have all the makings of a complete striker.

The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Alexander Isak also fall into that bracket, but they're all being valued in excess of £100m ($123m) ahead of the summer window. David won't cost a single penny.

Neglecting to even consider a move for David would be a massive oversight for Europe's big boys, especially Manchester United, who so desperately need extra firepower upfront amid the struggles of current No.9 Rasmus Hojlund. If David is still playing for Lille this time next season, it will be a damning indictment of the scouting systems at the highest level.

Lille's star man is ready to spread his wings; it's about time someone took proper notice.