Report doubles down on West Ham Jonathan David claims as Juventus price-tag revealed
The eternally West Ham United-linked Jonathan David appears destined to leave Juventus after just one season of Serie A football.
And, surprise surprise, the Hammers are once again being dragged into the situation.
Who knows? Perhaps there is some truth to reports of West Ham United’s interest in the Canadian penalty-specialist.
West Ham could FINALLY sign Jonathan David! 💰
The Juventus striker will be available this summer…
Italian publication Tuttosport today double down on a potential move to the London Stadium for Jonathan David, throwing Nuno Espirito Santo’s side into the mix alongside Nottingham Forest, Marseille and Lyon.
As Tuttosport point out, however, the finances involved may make a deal difficult to come by.
The publication claims that, while David’s departure is ‘becoming more and more concrete by the week’, Juventus are likely to demand a fee in the region of £25 million.
Not bad business at all, considering the Bianconeri signed David on a free transfer when his Lille contract expired less than 12 months ago.
The Montreal-born 26-year-old earns £100,000-a-week, though. After tax, too. While West Ham are desperate to get AC Milan loanee Niclas Fullkrug out the door, David would be another high-earning centre-forward eating up a sizeable chunk of the Hammers’ wage bill.
Hammers News were told that West Ham made an offer to David last summer, before he became a free agent. The former Gent hitman had little interest in such a proposal. One suspects he will be much more open to similar offers this time around, with that underwhelming Juventus spell seeing his long-awaited chance at a genuine A-list European club slip away.
Difficult to work out if David suits Nuno Espirito Santo’s system
David has scored only five goals in 14 Serie A starts. Tellingly, head coach Luciano Spalletti left him on the bench when Juve were crying out for a winner during the 1-1 draw against Sassuolo before the international break.
What advice would you give to profligate Pablo? ⛔
How can he save his West Ham career?
West Ham legend Paolo di Canio has been critical of David’s impact – or a lack thereof – while Spalletti puts his struggles down to the fact he is simply ill-suited to Juventus’ system. David, Spalletti feels, is someone who needs space to run into, rather than playing with his back to goal against low-block opposition.
A move to East London might just suit him, then. Nuno Espirito Santo likes to play a counter-attacking style. On the other hand, centre-forwards in Nuno’s teams are often required to do the unselfish stuff, like holding off defenders and opening up spaces for their fleet-footed wingers. See Chris Wood at Nottingham Forest and Raul Jimenez at Wolves.
David would be a risk. A £25 million, £100,000-a-week risk at that.
