According to Footmercato, Jonathan David, on loan from Juventus to Atlético Madrid, possesses the characteristics desired by Simeone.
Competing with Álvarez and Sørloth, the Canadian forward has drawn attention not only for his statistics at Gent, Lille, and Juventus, but also for his off-ball movement, one of his main strengths. Last season in Serie A, he covered 115.6 meters per minute.
David is the most physically demanding center-forward in the league. His pressing, counter-pressing, and repeated sprints make him the team's first line of defense—something that was already evident during his time at Lille. David is also acutely aware of the demands of his position, stating: "A striker's job is to score goals. If I don't score, people criticize; if I score, it's completely different."
His intelligent movement remains David's most recognized attribute. Canadian coach Jesse Marsch, responding to external criticism of David, once said: "He is the smartest player I have ever coached." David is highly mobile, capable of dropping deep, receiving the ball between the lines, attacking spaces behind the defense, and making quick combinations—particularly dangerous in the box, where 85% of his 533 accumulated shots at Lille and Juventus were taken.
Spalletti also praised his ability to "occupy those spaces," while noting his limitations in duels and holding up play with his back to goal. David has scored 114 goals in European leagues and the Champions League, with only 8 of them being headers, so he is not a pure target man. Atlético Madrid will be acquiring a more opportunistic, hardworking, and intelligent number 9, who can offer Simeone different tactical options compared to Álvarez and Sørloth.
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