Juventus Turin has won the race for Jonathan David (25). The sought-after striker will cost the top Italian club no transfer fee
Among all the players who have been without a club since July 1 and are therefore available on a free transfer, he was considered the most promising, partly because of his age: At 25, Jonathan David is taking the next step in his career and moving to Juventus Turin. The Italian record champions officially announced the signing of the Canadian center forward on Friday, with David signing a contract with the Old Lady until 2030.
This is quite a coup for Juventus, as the club does not have to pay a transfer fee for David. His contract with Lille OSC expired on June 30, and he had already announced in mid-May that he would not be extending his contract with the northern French club and would be leaving. He had attracted the interest of top European clubs for years, but to the surprise of many observers, he had always stayed in Lille.
The New York-born striker joined Lille in 2020 from Belgian club KAA Gent for around €27 million as a replacement for Victor Osimhen, who had left the club, making him the French club’s record signing. The investment paid off immediately: In his first season with the “Doggen,” David sensationally shot the club to the championship, maturing more and more in the following years to become a fixture in the offensive play and a leading player. In all five of his seasons in Ligue 1, he scored in double digits, with 16 goals in 32 league games last season.
Uncertainty in Juve’s attack: Are Vlahovic and Milik leaving?
According to Italian media reports, Juventus had already been in talks with the dynamic and clinical striker for some time, but the final hurdle was the commission demands of David’s advisors. Because the player himself was keen to move to Turin, Juventus was apparently able to push the price down. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, David will earn €6 million per year at Juve, with a further €2 million available in bonuses.
David thus embodies the future of the Juventus attack, where his signing could now lead to departures: Dusan Vlahovic and Arkadiusz Milik are considered candidates for sale, while Randal Kolo Muani, who is currently on loan, is to be kept, but probably only in the form of another loan deal.
