By Sam Testelin
Jonathan David is officially from Lille. During the summer of 2019, the LOSC had filled the departure of Nicolas Pépé at Arsenal with the arrival of Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian had been bought 22 million euros in Charleroi and then sold this summer to Naples for 81 million euros, the club's record. Will the northern club manage to do the same (nice) shot with their new Canadian “nugget” this season? Start of response on August 22 against Rennes at Stade Pierre Mauroy for the first day of Ligue 1.
A nomadic life
Born in Brooklyn (United States), Jonathan David left North America at the age of three months for Port-au-Prince (Haiti). From the age of 6, he moved to Canada with his parents, where he started playing football at the age of 10. He turns right to left among all the clubs in Ottawa when Nick Mavromara, his agent, spots him and takes him to test in Europe. The boy was then only 16 years old ...
A persevering young man
Thrown into the deep end of professional football, the teenager at the time failed his first two tests in Salzburg and Stuttgart. The last chance at La Gantoise was "the good one". Because even if the Belgian club offers him a pre-contract at 17, he does not play. At the start of the 2018/2019 season, he came into play for the first time in the first team against Zulte Waregem and delivered his partners in the last seconds to snatch the draw. Bis repeated the following week in the Europa League, but this time for the victory. And the kid from Brooklyn made his hole. 12 league goals in his first season, an indisputable starting place and here he is on the shelves of big clubs like Ajax Amsterdam. The same year he was called up for the national selection. Since making his debut for Canada, the 20-year-old has 12 appearances and 11 goals. Among professionals, the Canadian titi has played 95 games, delivered 20 assists and scored 48 goals.
A record in Belgium
Also courted by the promoted English, Leeds, Jonathan David did not want to go across the Channel as he explained in the columns of L'Equipe on July 17: "Yes, I want to come to Lille." The problem is its leaders. The Brooklyn native pressed the "disrespect" of his leaders to leave the case open: "Frankly, I don't believe there is much respect from my leaders […], the club did not pay transfer fees, I gave everything I had. ”In the end, the young Canadian will have won his showdown as an agreement has been found between the two parties. The Mastiffs therefore spent 27 million euros for the striker. A record indemnity in Belgium ahead of Youri Tielmans and Wesley, both transferred for 25 million euros from Anderlecht to Monaco and from Bruges to Aston Villa. The Canadian international should be present in the coming days and begin preparation with the group in stride.
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