Arsenal Emerge as Frontrunners in Pursuit of Lille Striker Jonathan David
According to reports from Football365, Arsenal have become the "hottest club" in pursuit of Lille striker Jonathan David, who has scored 25 goals in all competitions this season. The Gunners are said to be prioritising the signing of a new striker in the summer, with David emerging as a top target.
The north London club have struggled with injuries to key players, including Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, which has left them without a natural striker. This has been highlighted as a major weakness, particularly in their Champions League semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and their failure to keep pace with Liverpool in the Premier League title race. As Football365 previously reported, Arsenal’s lack of a clinical striker has been a major concern for manager Mikel Arteta.
As reported by Italian outlet InterLive, and cited by Football365, Arsenal are now in pole position to sign David, who will be out of contract in the summer. Liverpool are said to be "a little more on the sidelines" in the pursuit of the Canadian striker, while Juventus and Inter Milan are also believed to be interested. InterLive claims that David would be keen to join Inter, but Arsenal’s presence in the race makes it "not easy" for the Italian club to win out.
The report suggests that David’s decision will ultimately be up to him, but Arsenal’s interest is seen as a major boost to their chances of signing the striker. As Football365 notes, the Gunners’ priority in the summer is to sign a new striker, and David is one of the top targets. Transfer insider Graeme Bailey has also stated that a new number nine is Arsenal’s top priority, with Football365 providing further details on the club’s transfer plans.
Bailey told TBRFootball that Arsenal’s technical director, Edu, is "busy on incomings" and that "there is no disputing that a new number nine is where most of his time is being spent". Bailey also suggested that two other strikers, Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, are on Arsenal’s radar, but it remains to be seen who the club will ultimately sign. As Football365 previously reported, Gyokeres and Sesko have both been linked with a move to Arsenal.
The news will come as a boost to Arsenal fans, who have been eagerly anticipating the club’s summer transfer plans. The signing of a new striker is seen as a key priority for manager Mikel Arteta, who will be looking to strengthen his squad ahead of the new season. As Football365 continues to report, Arsenal’s transfer business is set to be a major talking point in the coming weeks.
In related news, former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher has backed Arteta’s "best player" to leave the club, with Football365 providing further details on the story.
