Lille sign Jonathan David from Gent for €30m

Lille have signed striker Jonathan David from Gent in a reported €30million deal to boost their attacking options further after losing Victor Osimhen to Napoli.

Osimhen, who scored 13 Ligue 1 goals last season, joined the Partenopei at the end of July in a deal that could eventually be worth €54m.

While Lille moved quickly to bring in veteran Turkey forward Burak Yilmaz, a large chunk of the Osimhen fee was used to recruit Canada’s David.

The 20-year-old has signed a five-year contract in Lille and will wear the number nine shirt, which previously belonged to Loic Remy, who is said to have failed a medical at Benevento in recent weeks.

David scored an impressive 37 goals in 83 games for Gent in all competitions, having made his debut in August 2018.

The American-born front man also has an outstanding strike rate at international level, netting 11 times in 12 senior matches for Canada.

Say hello and give a warm #LOSC welcome to our new marksman, @itsJoDavid pic.twitter.com/EInsIwG6Mj

— LOSC Lille EN (@LOSC_EN) August 11, 2020

“I’m really happy,” David said. “I’ve been eagerly awaiting this day and it’s a pleasure to be a Dogue.

“I know the project that has been put in place here by the president, [sporting director] Luis Campos and [head coach] Christophe Galtier. This is a very good team with great players.

“I want to play and to progress and I think that this is the perfect place.”