Jonathan David 'selects preferred club' amid Barcelona, Man United transfer interest

The Canada international - scorer of the only goal in Lille's shock 1-0 Champions League win over Real Madrid earlier this month - has been tipped to leave the 2020-21 Ligue 1 champions for a couple of years now.

David has never signed a contract extension at Lille, who signed him from Belgian outfit Gent for £22.4m in the summer of 2020, and his current terms are due to run out at the end of the season.

Perennially linked with a move to the Premier League, David was believed to have been on the radars of all of Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and West Ham United over the summer amid claims that he could have been available for between £20m and £25m.

Arsenal and Manchester United have also been tipped to throw their hat into the ring, but a move to England is yet to materialise for David, who is free to open pre-contract talks with foreign clubs in January.

David 'dreams' of representing Barcelona

In more recent weeks, Barcelona are said to have emerged as strong contenders to poach the 24-year-old, although Paris Saint-Germain could also make a concerted effort to keep him in the top flight of French football.

However, a report from Mundo Deportivo claims that David is 'dreaming' of pulling on the Barcelona jersey, and he is prepared to snub lucrative offers from PSG and the Premier League to make his dream a reality.

Even though the Barcelona hierarchy cannot enter into negotiations with David's camp until the New Year, the powers-that-be are said to have 'control' of the situation and are confident of pulling off a deal.

Signing a player of David's age and ilk for nothing is a no-brainer for Barcelona, who are not in such a dire financial situation as they were during the coronavirus crisis, but they are still keeping a close eye out for eye-catching free transfers.

The Canadian has come up with 92 goals and 20 assists in 196 appearances for Lille over the past four campaigns, including eight goals and two assists from 13 matches in the 2024-25 campaign.

Could David arrival trigger Robert Lewandowski exit?

While David has been one of the most prolific strikers in Europe's top five leagues so far this term, his numbers do not quite stack up to those of Robert Lewandowski, who is not showing his age whatsoever at 36.

The Poland international has amassed a terrific 12 goals from 11 appearances so far in 2024-25 and still has a couple of years left to run on his contract, but he will celebrate his 37th birthday next August.

However, Lewandowski is held in extremely high regard by Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who recently revealed that the Pole offered to amend his contract to help the club through a tricky financial period.

Lewandowski and his family are also believed to be happy in Catalonia, so David's prospective arrival may not trigger an exit for the experienced centre-forward in 2025, rather the two will jostle for position next season.

Should David and Lewandowski both be at Camp Nou for the 2025-26 season, though, Vitor Roque - currently on loan at Real Betis - could leave on a permanent transfer.