£25m no brainer – Jonathan David Manchester United’s transfer verdict

Manchester United and Jonathan David seem like a match made in heaven. The two sides have been linked in almost every transfer window but no move has materialised.

However, this summer, according to reports, contact was made with the striker’s representatives over a potential deal. We claimed that United are interested in the 24-year-old as Erik ten Hag seeks reinforcements for his attacking options.

David is set to leave Lille this summer after the Ligue 1 club’s president Olivier Letang confirmed he was likely to leave. Since moving from KAA Gent, the Canadian international has scored 84 goals in 183 games.

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The striker still has a year left with Les Dogues and will leave the club as a free agent at the end of next season if a move does not happen this summer. Lille are said to value him at £25m.

Unfortunately for United, they are not alone in their pursuit. Tottenham, Aston Villa and West Ham are all said to be showing a strong interest in the striker.

So should United enter into negotiations with David for just £25m? Or should they look elsewhere? Here, MEN Sports the writers give their thoughts on the striker.

Tyrone Marshall

David fits the bill as the type of striker United need to bolster their attack as he is available for what looks like a cut-price deal. They are shopping around for that £25m guy and that’s why Joshua Zirkzee is of interest, with a £34m release clause.

David has caught the eye in France and his goalscoring record over four years in Ligue 1 is quite impressive, but there are doubts whether he can translate that to the Premier League. Interest in him from Premier League clubs never translated into anything concrete.

His goalscoring record is hard to ignore though, and his last two seasons have both seen him hit 26 in all competitions. It’s a good return and with just a year left on his contract and a desire to move away from Lille, it could be a deal worth a shot.

He certainly has a style that would seem to suit Ten Hag’s United, with speed to burn on the break. Hojlund needs competition and support and needs to be in the £25m to £35m price range, making David at least a lively option.

Steven Railston

David has an impressive goalscoring record in Ligue 1, but the elephant in the room is the standard of the French top flight is a world away from the Premier League. However, he appears to have the qualities to succeed in England and could be a value signing at £25m.

United’s budget is expected to be stretched this summer and it looks like they will be forced to get creative in the market. Someone like David or Joshua Zirkzee might fit the bill, but I’d put Rodrigo Muniz and Niclas Fullkrug in the mix.

Fulham striker Muniz enjoyed a purple patch last season and although he failed to score at Old Trafford in February, he did hit the post and his performance caught the eye.

Fullkrug plays for Borussia Dortmund and has been impressive in the Champions League run, providing his team with a focal point and a threatening presence in the opposition box.

Josh Holland

Jonathan David, who is available for just £25m, must be a no-brainer for any Premier League side. Lille have asked for around £60m in years past, so he’s a steal right now.

It’s no secret that United need another striker to provide healthy competition to Rasmus Hojlund. Anthony Martial’s season has summed up his time at the club perfectly, injuries have held him back meaning Hojlund has faced far too much pressure.

David scored 26 goals in both of the last two seasons, including 19 in Ligue 1 alone last season. His goal record is favorable and at 24 he has already made over 260 appearances for the club.

I’m a huge fan of his and have been for a while. Being able to play out wide also means he could help the likes of Marcus Rashford. For me, a simple must for United.

Jack Flintham

If Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to give the impression that United have truly changed their approach to transfers, then a move for David should be at the top of their to-do list. If the £25m fee is what Lille want, get them out of the way now and that’s it.

At 24, the Canada international has plenty of potential and his 26 goals last season will be enticing to potential suitors. Signing a goalscorer is so difficult, as United have shown in recent windows.

So in my eyes, for a relatively small fee and a good number of goals in the bag, David is a steal at that price. It would be a relatively risk-free move and United have the potential to add more value to their investment.

With Napoli’s Victor Osimhen potentially worth more than £100m, David is where the smart money is in the summer transfer window.

Tom Coley

David has always felt like a Premier League player in waiting. When it comes to some of the other options around, he isn’t quite as enthusiastic, but still has an impressive goalscoring record.

From his first senior year at Gent as a teenager to now at Lille, he has scored 12, 18, 13, 15, 24 and 19 league goals, with 23 assists in those seasons as well. This is maddeningly consistent and impressive.

David is a good price and does more than score. He really seems to be a remarkably lackluster but very good alternative to some of the best out there. United should do whatever it takes to turn him into their own version of Alexandr Isak or Lautaro Martinez.

David is a keen channel runner with clarity in and around the box to assist his team mates. He is gold for the kind of price Lille are said to be asking for. It would be a real mistake not to make the most of it.

Isaac Seelochan

United are in desperate need of reinforcements up front after scoring just 57 Premier League goals last season. Cristiano Ronaldo was the club’s last prolific number, but his age meant he was never a long-term solution.

It’s hard to say how good Rasmus Hojlund will be, but when he was fit, he would go on mini-runs where he couldn’t stop scoring. However, there were stretches of the campaign where he was either injured or struggled in front of goal.

This is why another striker is so essential for United, and Jonathan David, available for just £25m, feels like a brilliant deal. Not being involved in the Champions League next season will hurt United, and with Lille playing in Europe’s elite competition, they may feel it is better to stay or move elsewhere.

It’s hard to see another striker of David’s quality being available for that fee this summer. If you’re interested in joining, then it’s a deal United can’t afford to turn down.

Isaac Johnson

I think trying to lure David to Old Trafford would be a smart move if his price is indeed up to £25m. Only Kylian Mbappe scored more than his 19 goals in Ligue 1 last season and it’s a real surprise that other clubs aren’t more immediately interested.

At 24, he provides United with slightly more game experience than Rasmus Hojlund and would push him to reach his potential. His potential low fee would solve a hole in the squad for minimal cost, which will pique Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s interest amid tight FFP constraints.

The risk is that he is too similar to Hojlund in his style, which could leave United frustrated if they want “something different” at any stage of a match. Although with that said, until the last two games of the season, it’s not like Erik ten Hag thought about trying anything different last season.