West Ham ‘blow Barcelona out of water’ as £16.5m Jonathan David proposal emerges
Jonathan David could be the marquee summer arrival at West Ham United as Graham Potter looks to transform his squad.
Potter took charge of West Ham midway through the January transfer window after Julen Lopetegui’s sacking, but could only make one addition to his squad in the form of Brighton loanee Evan Ferguson.
Ferguson has been backed to be a success at the London Stadium and complete a permanent move to West Ham this summer, but the Irons don’t have any option or obligation to buy in his loan contract.
As a result, and with the likes of Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio out of the picture due to long-term injury, one of Potter’s priorities in the coming transfer window will be to bring in a new number nine.
West Ham prepare massive David contract offer
With a new striker at the top of Potter’s summer wishlist, Sky Sport.ch journalist Sacha Tavolieri reported on 3 March that the 49-year-old has made out-of-contract Lille attacker David his priority.
West Ham are looking to beat Arsenal and Barcelona – David’s preferred destination – to the Canadian’s signature once he leaves Lille on 30 June, and are prepared to offer a deal which the latter cannot match.
| Player | Club | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists |
| Jonathan David | Lille | 37 | 31 | 21 | 9 |
Including agent’s fees, a long-term contract’s salary, and both signing and performance-based bonuses, David is in line to earn roughly £16.5million if he signs for the Irons, much more than Barcelona can offer.
Though David’s preference is Barcelona and Arsenal are also keen on signing the 25-year-old – who has 21 goals and nine assists this season – West Ham are the only club to have tabled a “concrete” proposal.
Jonathan David transfer can provide huge West Ham statement
Beating title-chasing Arsenal and potentially La Liga-winning Barcelona to David’s signature would be one hell of a coup for West Ham to make – and that’s without considering the pair’s European exploits.
Though it’s clear that Arsenal, like West Ham, are in desperate need of an out-and-out striker – having also expressed interest in signing Ferguson from Brighton in January – the Irons’ need is more pressing.
Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz would surely supersede David in a full-strength Arsenal side, but across London, there is no candidate in claret and blue better suited to Potter’s style of play than the Canadian.
Antonio, Fullkrug and Danny Ings are all over 30 and don’t fit into the squad Potter and Kyle Macauley want to create at West Ham, but a big-money move for David would certainly fit the bill.