Premier League target Jonathan David has been the subject of a cut-price bid as he enters the final few months of his contract,it has been claimed.
Lille striker David has been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle, all of whom could pick him up for nothing in the summer. However, an unnamed rival has attempted to get in ahead of the trio.
David, a Canadian international, has been Lille's star man since joining from Gent in 2020. He helped them win Ligue 1 in his first season, and has scored 102 goals in all competitions for Les Dogues.
Some 18 of those have arrived this season, 11 in the league and seven in Europe, as Bruno Genesio's team pushes for Champions League qualification. Offloading their top scorer in January would be a blow to those hopes, and it sounds like the £10million offer on the table isn't close to being enough.
According to ChronicleLive, Lille have quickly knocked back that opening offer. The club's president, Olivier Letaing, is said to believe the £40m windfall for another Champions League season makes it worth holding on to David until the summer.
Earlier in the season, David hinted this season would be his last in France but didn't shed too much light on his next destination. "What am I waiting for? I guess now it’s easier to say. I’m in the last year of my contract,” the 25-year-old said.
"Eventually my contract is going to run out. So then we’ll see. We’ll see what happens next year. I’m open to anything. I think obviously the Premier League is regarded as one of the best leagues in the world. And for me it’s not the Premier League or bust. I’m open to anything and every league has its challenges."
The forward had a chance to show what he can offer against Premier League opposition when Lille faced Liverpool in this season's Champions League. He impressed on a personal level, briefly bringing his side level, but Liverpool ended up narrow 2-1 victors.
David's goal at Anfield was his fifth during the league phase, bringing him level with England and Bayern Munich star Harry Kane. He also scored twice in qualifying as Lille came through matches against Fenerbahce and Slavia Prague to book their place in the competition proper.
Victory at home to Feyenoord in the final group game will keep Lille in with a chance of a top-eight finish and an automatic spot in the round of 16. They're still guaranteed a play-off berth at worst, ensurig their European adventure continues beyond January.
If they're to return to the Champions League next term, they'll either need to win this year's competition or improve their domestic standings. Genesio's side sit fifth in Ligue 1 at the time of writing, albeit just two points adrift of Monaco in third.