Jonathan David breaks silence on future as West Ham fend off Arsenal and Spurs. Elite striker Jonathan David has finally broken his silence over his future after Arsenal and Spurs joined West Ham in the race to sign him.
With 176 goals for club and country in his career so far, soon-to-be free agent Jonathan David is arguably the hottest ticket in town for clubs this summer.
West Ham have been linked with the Lille and Canada striker for over two years. But London rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal joined the race for David this weekend.
Hammers boss Graham Potter was already quietly confident of beating David’s boyhood club Barcelona to his signature.
So the emergence of serious interest from the Gunners and Spurs won’t necessarily see West Ham throw the towel in. David could – and perhaps should – not even be an option for Arsenal or Tottenham right now.
David speaks on future as West Ham fend off Arsenal and Spurs
Because he would already be playing for West Ham, has David Moyes not turned down signing David for just £20m in the summer of 2023.
Moyes felt at the time that David was not up to Premier League standard.
Now the Hammers will have to hope the 25-year-old doesn’t prove their former boss wrong by shining on their doorstep at Arsenal or Spurs.
The Scot did a superb job in east London. But David joins a migraine-inducing list of forwards he turned down during his West Ham tenure including – by his own admission – Julian Alvarez, as well as Viktor Gyokeres and Hugo Ekitike.
Potter made West Ham aware he wants David the moment he arrived in east London in January.
The Hammers confirmed their interest in David amid those claims.
And it has been reported that Potter is determined and convinced West Ham can sign David ahead of the likes of Barcelona.
The Catalan giants were said to have effectively pulled out of the running this week. That may explain the sudden emergence Arsenal and Tottenham.
But the same report stated the Hammers have made an ‘irresistible’ offer.
David talks up Premier League but makes preference clear. West Ham’s London rivals are said to be in ‘active and concrete’ negotiations to sign a David, who is free to talk to clubs over a pre-contract agreement.
It’s easy to see why Potter, Mikel Arteta and Ange Postecoglou want to bring David to London.
The versatile forward has 23 goals and five assists in 32 starts for Lille this season.
That includes nine goals and two assists in 12 Champions League games – seven in the competition proper after scoring twice in qualifying.
Now David has broken his silence on his future as West Ham try to fend off Arsenal and Spurs.
There is some encouragement for the Premier League trio.
But David has made his future preference is clear.
“The Premier League is much faster and more physical than any other league,” David said when asked where he wants to play next in a Canada press conference, as reported by Foot Mercato.
“But for me, I grew up watching La Liga a lot and, for me, it’s my favourite league.
“It’s the league I enjoyed watching the most, so one day I’d like to play there.”
Striker keeps London trio on the line in case Barca don’t bite. While that does not rule West Ham, Arsenal or Tottenham out – David is clearly fluttering his eyes at the likes of Barcelona.
Earlier this week it was claimed Barca’s hierarchy are not convinced internally about signing him.
David’s agent, who is based in London, has reportedly given Barca an April deadline to emulate the Hammers, Gunners and Tottenham by making a concrete offer.
That might be why David is so clearly keeping his Premier League options open by praising the English top fight and stating he would like to play in La Liga ‘one day’.
Although West Ham may be having second thoughts after their leggy midfielder Edson Alvarez had David in his pocket when playing as an emergency centre-back in Mexico’s 2-0 win over Canada on Friday.
