Chelsea are ready to launch a £51.5m bid to sign Lille striker Jonathan David in the January transfer window as Mauricio Pochettino eyes more attacking reinforcements, according to Fichajes.
Pochettino is keen on solving his goal-scoring problem with his strikers struggling to find the back of the net consistently this season as they currently lie 12th in the Premier League table after just four games, netting five times and conceding five.
With Christopher Nkunku out injured, fellow summer signing Nicolas Jackson is leading Chelsea’s attack and has not hit the ground running so far. The 22-year-old has made five appearances and scored once, coming in their 3-0 win over Luton Town at home – their only league victory this term.
Jackson missed a sitter in their 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest last Saturday and with pressure mounting on the youngster, it will be prudent to bring in another forward to help share the goal-scoring burden.
Several forwards have been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge following the long-term injury to Nkunku and Fichajes claims that David has emerged as a prime target.
The Spanish news outlet says the West Londoners are ready to bid around £51m (€60m) in January to try and are confident it will be enough to persuade Lille to cash-in on one of their best players.
Quality signing
David has forged a reputation as one of the best forwards in Ligue 1 following his impressive goal-scoring prowess for Lille over the past few seasons. He has netted 61 goals and registered 10 assists in 142 appearances for his side since joining from Gent in 2020.
The 23-year-old racked up 40 appearances, scored 26 times, and provided four assists in all competitions last season as they finished 5th in Ligue 1 to secure UEFA Europa League qualification.
During this campaign, he has featured in six games and made four goal contributions across all competitions. David is versatile and can play across the frontline, making him an ideal fit for Chelsea and Pochettino.
According to Fichajes, Lille are willing to consider offers for David but Chelsea may face competition as he’s attracting interest from several clubs. The Canadian has just two years left on his current contract with Paulo Fonseca’s side so they are ready to sell while his value is still high.
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