Real Madrid told to pay €60 million to sign Ligue 1 forward - Reports
Real Madrid could have to pay between €50 million to €60 million to sign Jonathan David from Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille, as per Spanish publication Fichajes.
This is the least the French club are expecting in terms of transfer fees for their highly-rated attacker. David, 22, has burst onto the scene as one of the best young strikers in recent seasons.
He has plundered 41 goals and provided eight assists in 111 games for Lille since joining them from KAA Gent in the summer of 2020. The Canadian has scored at an impressive rate in the league this season, where he has nine goals and three assists in 15 outings.
He is reportedly being eyed by Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for what one would imagine to be different reasons. While Los Blancos could be on the lookout for a replacement for Karim Benzema, PSG may want competition up front for Kylian Mbappe.
Timothy Weah x Jonathan David 💥 https://t.co/ao3w497ysh
Benzema, 35, has been plagued by injury issues this season, which also saw him miss out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It is still unclear whether his Ballon d'Or win will extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu by another year.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano claimed that it did, but a report from AS (h/t BeSoccer) in October suggested otherwise. His current deal is set to expire at the end of the season.
The former Olympique Lyonnais striker scored 44 goals and provided 15 assists in 46 games across competitions for Real Madrid last season. This puts into perspective the potential void that Benzema could leave if he does not stay at the club beyond this season or is kept sidelined with injuries. David could be a smart investment in that regard, given his age and potential.
Sergio Escudero says he would bench one of two Real Madrid midfielders if he could
Real Valladolid left-back Sergio Escudero has claimed that he would bench one of Toni Kroos or Luka Modric if he could in his team's upcoming clash against Spanish giants Real Madrid.
World Cup Medalists once again. Proud 🇭🇷 https://t.co/hDAPeNe3PS
He was asked at a press conference to name a Los Blancos player he would bench on 30 December. The Spaniard replied (h/t BeSoccer):
"Kroos or Modric. They control the game and organize the rest of the players during the encounter. They are players with a lot of experience and quality and they will have already prepared for La Liga."
Luckily for Escudero, Modric is unlikely to feature in the game. He is yet to return to Real Madrid training following Croatia's third-place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.