Chelsea transfer target’s future needs resolving as he’s unlikely to sign new contract with current club

Chelsea and Jonathan David could be a story to keep an eye on before the end of the summer transfer window, French football expert Jonathan Johnson has suggested.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for his latest Daily Briefing column, Johnson explained that David’s future will probably need resolving soon as he doesn’t look likely to sign a new contract at current club Lille, even if they qualify for the Champions League group stage.

Johnson says it’s possible we could see Chelsea and other clubs come back in for the Canada international, who has been the subject of links with Premier League sides in recent times, though The Athletic not so long ago suggested that the Blues were looking at other strikers and had cooled their interest in David.

David has a prolific record from his time in Ligue 1, even if he hasn’t quite been consistent enough to convince elite clubs to go through with him as a top target so far.

Still, it might be that Lille soon need to get the 24-year-old off their books as they won’t want him to get closer to the end of his contract, which doesn’t seem set to be extended.

David transfer: Could Chelsea get another chance to sign the Lille striker?

“Jonathan David’s situation remains a curious one that seems to repeat itself almost every year, and he always ends up staying with Lille. There is genuine interest in David, he regularly attracts a number of suitors, but I think the difference this summer is that Lille look like they’re on course to qualify for the Champions League group stage,” Johnson said.

“If they do that, it’s a big plus for Lille in general, but I think it would also help them top keep hold of David, despite the links we’ve seen at various points this summer with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham. I think Lille are wary, though, of the player wanting to move on, and they’ll want to avoid a situation whereby he enters the final twelve months of his contract.

“I think Lille will be less tempted to sell if they have the windfall that comes with playing in the Champions League group stage. It is possible that Chelsea or Tottenham could revisit their interest, but it’s tricky to imagine Lille actioning a sale right at this moment when they have that tie against Slavia Prague coming up for the next round of qualifiers for the Champions League.

“This could be one that is worth keeping an eye on, as the timing of all this means it could be pushed right up until the end of the transfer window. I wouldn’t rule out David staying at Lille, but at the same time I also don’t necessarily expect him to be more open to signing a new contract there if they get into the Champions League group stage, so his future is probably still something that’s going to need resolving.”