Manchester United have already suffered a blow to their summer transfer plans with long-term target Jonathan David on his way to Barcelona, according to reports.
The Canadian striker is out of contract in the summer so will be available for free, making him the perfect signing for the cash-strapped Red Devils.
But TBR Football report that the Catalan giants are now in “advanced talks” for his signature come the end of the season, and that the player is “on course for his dream move” to the Nou Camp.
The 25-year-old will be one of the best free agents in Europe when his deal at Lille expires in the summer, and is not thought to be short of suitors.
Unsurprisingly, his entourage have been fielding calls from across the continent in the last few months, and TBR Football claim that United are one of many clubs to have made contact.
Premier League rivals Chelsea, Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham are also credited with an interest, as are Serie A titans Inter Milan and Juventus.
But ultimately most of the teams keen on David now believe that he “has chosen his preferred option and that a deal is close,” which will take him to Barcelona.
The Catalans are in “pole position” to seal the deal, and talks are “already at an advanced stage”.
Speaking last year, David revealed that Barcelona was the team he grew up supporting. “When you grow up supporting a team, it’s a dream to play for them,” he said.
It’s a familiar story, with United’s current number 9 Rasmus Hojlund making similar noises upon his arrival at Old Trafford two years ago.
His dreadful run in front of goal, combined with fellow striker Joshua Zirkzee still struggling to get up to speed with English football, made United more desperate than ever to boost their attacking options, and they will be disappointed to have missed out on such a high-quality free option.
David has scored 104 goals in his Lille career so far, hitting double figures in all five seasons in Ligue 1, and is currently on 20 for this season.
It’s an entirely believable report, that a free agent is set to agree a deal with his favourite club who are also desperate for budget-friendly options, so it’s safe to say United will have to look elsewhere to hand Ruben Amorim more firepower in the summer.
Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images
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Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
