Isak and Gyokeres snubbed: Arteta identifies Arsenal's 'PRIORITY' target

Jacque Talbot

Updated: 27 Nov 2024 02:55 CST
4 min read

Jonathan David, Lille, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made Jonathan David his priority target above all else, according to reports.

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The Gunners are looking for a No.9 to come in and challenge for a place with make-shift striker Kai Havertz. The club have been linked to some of the most in-form strikers today including Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres.

But now Sky Sports have suggested that it's the Lille attacker they really want. Their report reads: "Arsenal, in particular, have already identified the Canadian striker as a priority target to integrate into Mikel Arteta's system."

The outlet also states that David grew up supporting Barcelona but the Blaugranas do not see him as a priority, which does leave the door open for Arsenal.

Current ETV

Jonathan David

F (C)

Lille

Jonathan David

F (C)

Lille

ETV Range

€26M - €43.4M

The club's transfer budget for next season is not clear, but if it is restricted then David is a player who makes a lot of sense for them particularly as they can sign a pre-contract agreement with the 24-year-old in the January transfer window.

Lille president on David

Lille president Olivier Letang went on record to claim that any move won't happen until the summer and David will not be sold during the January transfer window.

“Jonathan’s situation is very simple,” he told RMC Sport. “We are very happy to have him with us. Last off-season, he had one year left on his contract. We could have qualified for the Champions League. We weren’t stuck with the obligation to sell him. Besides, we didn’t get any offers.”

“Our position was very clear from the start, we thought about the player. Jonathan, obviously, already has an offer [from Lille] in his hands. The ball is in his court.

“We have had a lot of discussions about the fact that he could stay with us. He will not leave in January. He will stay with us because he is an important player. He will stay because in May we have objectives. When you have a player who scores 20-25 goals, qualifying for the Champions League at the end of the season balances out a transfer that didn’t happen. He said that LOSC is his club, he loves the club.”

David has scored a substantial 11 goals in his last 11 matches for Lille. And 20 goal contributions in 24 games for club and country since the season began.