According to a recent report by Express, Chelsea have entered the race for Jonathan David. The KAA Gent midfielder is also courted by Liverpool, though the Reds could face stiff competition from other rivals including Manchester United, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur. David, whose contract expires in 2023, could reportedly cost around £20 million.
A star in the making
David initially moved to Belgium at the start of 2018, in a free transfer from Ottawa ISC. It didn’t take much time for him to get promoted to the first-team, in the summer of that corresponding year. His performances against Standard Liege and RSC Anderlecht during the end of the 2018/19 campaign made him a prominent part of the Gent first-team.
Indeed, David has featured in 25 league games this campaign, scoring 18 goals while mustering eight assists. That makes him the joint top scorer of the Jupiler Pro League, alongside Dieumerci Mbokani. His tally of eight assists, meanwhile, makes him the most productive player in the Belgian top flight.
Hence, David is undoubtedly one of the most promising young players in not only Belgium but also in Europe. And if he can maintain his performances throughout the remainder of the campaign, he is definitely a star in the making.
What can he offer to the table?
David’s style of play can be somewhat compared to Borussia Dortmund superstar Marco Reus. An attacking midfielder by trade, the Canadian has an excellent sense of positioning. He generally likes to hover around the central areas of the pitch. The midfielder’s ability to link up teammates in the wider areas gives him a chance to end up in excellent scoring positions.
This is evident if we look at David’s scoring tally this season. But, another feature of his gameplay is his lethal finishing while the 20-year-old is also capable of creating scoring opportunities for his team.
Should Liverpool step up their pursuit of David?
Liverpool have rarely lacked quality and hunger in their attacking department this season. But, they do lack depth in their offensive unit, having appeared way too overreliant on the services of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah multiple times throughout the campaign.
Although the Reds did bring in Takumi Minamino in January, they need an apt replacement for the likes of Adam Lallana and Xherdan Shaqiri. David, in that regard, could be an ideal candidate.
As mentioned earlier, the Canadian has made quite an impact in Belgium this season. His style of play is also ideally suited to Jurgen Klopp’s tactics. And at the age of 20, he could be a smart, cost-effective, long-term investment for the Merseyside giants this summer.
