CanMNT's Jonathan David announces summer departure from Lille amid Napoli interest
Canadian men's national team star Jonathan David took to social media on Wednesday morning to officially confirm what's long been rumoured: This summer, he will be leaving LOSC Lille to pursue a new opportunity at club level.
David has been with the French side since 2020, but with his contract expiring at the end of this season, he's looking to take a step up the footballing ladder, with a number of massive clubs reportedly looking to sign him. According to the BBC, Premier League clubs Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and West Ham have shown interest, but the latest rumours from Europe suggest Italian club Napoli are the current front-runners.
The 25-year-old striker said a heartfelt goodbye to Lille in his social media post, bringing to a close five remarkable years in France.
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With one game still remaining this year, David has made 231 total appearances for Lille, and scored 109 goals. Earlier this season he became the club's all-time leading scorer in European competitions, having found the net 16 times in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, plus a further seven in qualifying rounds for those competitions.
David is also second on Lille's all-time scoring list, behind only André Strappe, who played the majority of his games for the club in the 1950s.
In his time in northern France, David helped lead Lille to the French Ligue 1 title in 2020-21, helping them to the Champions League round of 16 on two occasions.
The Ottawa-raised striker's development at Lille has helped him grow into a star for Canada as well; 21 of his 32 goals for the men's national team have come since his move to the French club.
David has been rumoured to be eyeing a big transfer for several years now, and a move to a level like Serie A or the Premier League may help raise his profile and provide him with valuable top-tier experience ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
