£50m Chelsea and Arsenal target responds to transfer speculation amid potential swoops

Chelsea and Arsenal linked striker Jonathan David has responded to speculation linking him with a potential move to the Premier League.

The Lille star is one of the most sought after strikers in European football due to his blistering speed and his consistency in front of goal. David has been amongst the top scorers in French football for a number of seasons and enjoyed his most prolific season to date last term - firing in 24 goals from 37 Ligue 1 appearances as his team recorded a fifth place finish.

The 24-year-old has also scored an impressive 26 goals from 45 appearances at international level. This form helped Canada successfully secure qualification for the 2022 World Cup - ending a 36-year hiatus from the competition. David’s talents have led to speculation surrounding a move to both Chelsea and Arsenal - who are both in desperate need of a striker to boost their chances of success this term.

Chelsea have been heavily reliant on the form of midfielder Cole Palmer in front of goal, due to the struggles of both Nicolas Jackson and the injury-hit Christopher Nkunku in attack. Meanwhile, Arsenal have at times lacked cutting edge in the final third and the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nkeitah and Kai Havertz have been criticised for their output in the centre forward position this term.

Responding to speculation about his future, David admitted that he was ‘flattered’ by the rumours linking him with a move to England. He explained: “When you’re young, these are the clubs you watch and think about. It's flattering, I appreciate that."

The January transfer window remains open until 11pm on Thursday - but it appears unlikely that David will be involved in any late transfer drama.

Football transfer guru Fabrizio Romano explained earlier this week: “Jonathan David won’t leave Lille in the final days of the January transfer window. Lille want to keep their best players in January despite interest from England, Spain, Italy — David is staying.”

David’s existing contract at Lille runs out in the summer of 2025 and Romano has hinted that the deal could be ‘one to watch’ during the summer transfer window. He adds that AC Milan are one of the frontrunners to sign the player along with a host of Premier League teams.