Manchester Utd and Arsenal target David joins Lille in club-record €30m move

Lille have signed striker Jonathan David from Belgian side Gent after agreeing a club-record €30 million (£27m/$35m) fee. 

The Canada international joins the Ligue 1 outfit despite interest from several Premier League sides, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Leicester City, Leeds, Brighton and Crystal Palace.

The 20-year-old moves to France after two prolific seasons in Belgium. He scored 14 league goals and provided five assists with the Buffalos in his debut campaign in Europe in 2018-19, before following that up with a season in which he scored 23 times in the league and added eight assists across 40 matches.

At international level, David has scored 11 goals in 12 games for Canada in a starring role alongside Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies.

Speaking to Lille's official website, David, who signed a five-year deal with the club, expressed his excitement at joining Lille's project.

"I’m really happy. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this day and it’s a pleasure to be a Dogue," David said. "I know the project that has been put in place here by the president, 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. I’m a player who knows his place on the pitch. I love to play to my qualities, notably with speed and and technique. I’m also eager to see our fans! Let’s go LOSC!"

David will help replace former Lille star Victor Osimhen, who joined Napoli in a €50m (£45m/$59m) deal last month after a season in which he scored 18 times in all competitions.

At €30m, Lille have broken their record transfer fee, which was set last summer when they paid €25m (£23m/$30m) to land Renato Sanches from Bayern Munich.

"He is a player with not only great physical and technical abilities, but also mental qualities which make him particularly alert, agile and decisive," Lille CEO Marc Ingla said of David. "Jonathan is a very intelligent boy who I am sure will fit in with the LOSC style of play and the French championship."