Until players with rich potential move to one of Europe’s biggest four leagues (the top flights in England, Spain, Germany and Italy), there is always going to be questions about whether they can handle the jump in competition and demands.
Those questions are understandable, but from where Jonathan David stands — or, more accurately, runs as he sniffs out his next scoring chance — the Canada forward has never been more ready for the next stage in his career and, perhaps, stardom.
David’s story is built on him doing things on his terms: he spurned advances from multiple Canadian MLS clubs as a youth player and went straight to Gent in Belgium at 17. He’s an ego-free attacker who strides with a distinct upright posture and can occupy multiple roles on the pitch: a pure No 9, a second striker or even a wide player. He doesn’t buy into the idea of celebrity the way other goalscorers might.
And, most importantly, when it comes to Jonathan David in 2024, he is producing at a rate that showcases growth in his game and should make him attractive to prospective buyers from Europe’s top leagues.
In his fourth season with Lille, David hit highs in non-penalty goals and assists per 90 minutes (0.72), and non-penalty expected goals (xG) and expected assists per 90 minutes (0.63). Looking just at his chance generation, the graphic below shows how his non-penalty-xG-per-90 figure has subtly grown with every season in France’s top division.
It’s a byproduct of him becoming a smarter and more clinical player. He’s never been the type to score out-of-this-world bangers. Instead, he quietly glides past players around him and cleverly finds the right places to get a shot away. In the 2023-24 season, his movement was better and he seemed to have a greater read on defenders in Ligue 1.
David is ready for a greater challenge. Fortunately for Canada, his best self often emerges when he pulls on an international shirt. The former Canada head coach John Herdman dubbed him the “Iceman” because he often spends games lurking behind their target man Cyle Larin and pouncing on loose balls in the box.
He is only three goals behind Larin as Canada’s all-time leading goalscorer. This could be the summer that David not only matches the tally of his podcast co-host but also shows the world what he is capable of.
Joshua Kloke