Chelsea enter transfer race for 50m striker wanted by Manchester United: report

Chelsea are reportedly eyeing a move for Lille striker Jonathan David, who has already been linked with a move to Manchester United.

The Canadian international helped Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2020/21 and has scored 69 goals in his four-and-a-half seasons with the French side.

Aston Villa are also said to be keen on 24-year-old David, whose 26 international goals make him Canada’s second-highest scorer of all time.

David scored 24 goals in Ligue 1 last season (Image credit: Getty Images)According to French TV programme Telefoot, Chelsea are now keeping tabs on the former Gent frontman, who joined Lille for €30m in the summer of 2020 – having finished as joint leading goalscorer in the Belgian top flight the previous season.

The Blues are enduring another campaign of centre-forward struggles, with Nicolas Jackson failing to convince in the Premier League and Christopher Nkunku spending most of the season so far out injured.

Chelsea paid a combined £84m to bring the pair to Stamford Bridge last summer, only two years after the £98m re-signing of Romelu Lukaku – who flopped during his return to West London.

David has won 45 caps for Canada, featuring in all three of their games at the 2022 World Cup (Image credit: Getty Images)Mind you, David hasn’t been in prolific goalscoring form himself this term, finding the net only six times in 19 league appearances – and 11 times in 26 outings in all competitions.

But he would be a markedly more affordable option than someone like Victor Osimhen: Transfermarkt currently values David at €50m (£42.7m).

However, if Chelsea were to hang on until this time next year, they may be able to negotiate a deal to bring him in on a free transfer in the summer of 2025, when his current Lille contract expires.

More transfer stories from FourFourTwoChelsea stand to make an historic loss with the potential sale of Romelu Lukaku.

Elsewhere, Manchester United have been linked with a wonderkid already on Liverpool’s radar.

And Pep Guardiola has made some controversial remarks on Manchester City’s transfer plans.

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