Stade Pierre-Mauroy - Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France - November 23, 2021. Lille's Jonathan David celebrates scoring.
Newcastle United are preparing to make an offer for Lille striker Jonathan David in January, according to reports.
The Lowdown: Previous interest in David
The Canadian still has more than two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract with the Ligue 1 club, but following his impressive performances under Paulo Fonseca, he has been the subject of strong interest.
The Magpies eyed a move for the 22-year-old last year, and even though a deal failed to materialise before the deadline, PIF are now taking a second bite at the cherry in a bid to bring him to the Premier League.
The Latest: Newcastle readying David offer
According to French outlet Media Foot (via Sport Witness), Eddie Howe ‘wants an extra man’ up top in 2023, with the 44-year-old having identified David as ‘that player’.
Newcastle are reportedly set to ‘make a new attempt’ to land the forward by ‘making an offer’ in the winter after a previous failed approach.
Whilst the exact amount they are willing to cough up ‘hasn’t filtered’, it’s stated that Lille will find it ‘very difficult’ to keep hold of their star striker.
The Verdict: Wood replacement?
Chris Wood has failed to make a serious impact at Newcastle this season with only two league starts to his name, so David would most certainly be an upgrade should he depart St. James’ Park.
Dubbed ‘mind-blowing’ by Jacek Kulig, the 5 foot 9 Canadian attacker has nine goals and three assists in 15 appearances this term and is averaging 3.3 shots per game (WhoScored).
Even taking into account their disparity in game-time, David has far more goals and shots per 90 minutes than Wood, along with a better rate for shots on target and successful passes (FBRef), so he could certainly be considered an upgrade on the New Zealand target man.
The Magpies are currently third in the Premier League after a remarkable start to 2022/23, and the potential arrival of David should only increase their chances of nailing down a top-four spot come the end of the campaign.
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