Chelsea set to miss out on striker who has scored 5 goals in 6 games as Newcastle lead talks

Chelsea could miss out on long-term target Jonathan David, with Newcastle now leading the race for the striker, according to reports from France. Foot01.com reports that David has informed LOSC that he is not willing to sign a new deal and will leave for free in the summer if a club does not agree to a deal in the January transfer window.

Last season, the Canadian scored 19 league goals—only Kylian Mbappé scored more than David, attracting interest from clubs like Chelsea, Real Madrid, and some Saudi Arabian teams. Chelsea were strongly linked with David as they looked to sign a striker to complement Nicolas Jackson, even though they were primarily focused on Napoli’s Nigerian striker, Victor Osimhen.

Lille are reportedly ready to cash in on David in January to avoid losing him for free in the summer, and Newcastle, backed by PIF, are now reportedly prepared to break the bank to bring him to the Premier League.

Chelsea still in the market for a new striker

LondonWorld has been informed that Chelsea are still looking to sign another striker despite giving Jackson a contract extension that will keep him at the club for nine years. They also have Christopher Nkunku, who can play as a striker, but they are looking to bring in someone who can compete and elevate the squad's level.

Other reports suggest they are still interested in Osimhen, whom they tried to sign until the final hours of the summer transfer window. Chelsea have had a strong start to the season, currently sitting fourth in the Premier League, and they will open their Europa Conference League campaign against Belgian side Gent.

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been very impressive in the first few games and is looking to turn Stamford Bridge into a fortress, having won convincingly in their last two games there.