Man Utd and Arsenal target throws Barcelona transfer curveball

Tom Hancock

• Updated: 29 Mar 2023 15:07 BST
• 3 min read

Jonathan David has revealed his love for Barcelona, in a potential blow to Manchester United and Arsenal’s chances of signing the Lille striker this summer.

The Canadian international, 23, continues to be linked with a big move away from the Ligue 1 club – for whom he's scored 53 goals in 126 appearances – and Man Utd and the Gunners are both said to have been keeping tabs on him.

But has David just hinted at his dream transfer destination by admitting to being ‘a big fan’ of Barca in his youth?

READ: McTominay equals Cristiano Ronaldo mark to send Ten Hag a message over Man Utd future

Speaking to Winamax FC, David said: “I was a big fan of Barcelona when I was younger.

“When I was young, my idol was Ronaldinho because he was a player that could do everything on the pitch – but he wasn’t in the same position as me.

“I also liked to follow the example of players such as Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and Didier Drogba.”

An affordable alternative?

Man Utd are widely expected to be in the market for a new centre-forward this summer, having parted ways with Cristiano Ronaldo back in November and brought in Wout Weghorst on loan from Burnley as a stop-gap solution.

Tottenham's Harry Kane and Napoli's Victor Osimhen are the two names most persistently being touted as targets for Erik ten Hag and co, but David could represent a more affordable option: our Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) model currently prices him at €52.6m.

As for Arsenal, the Premier League leaders were reportedly keen on David prior to signing Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City last summer – but could their imminent return to Champions League football, something Lille look set to be without next season, re-spark their interest?