Juventus Poised to Cash In on Jonathan David's Juve Flop: Marseille or Prem Calling?

Imagine landing a striker on a free transfer, only to ponder flogging him after half a season. That's the pickle Juventus find themselves in with Jonathan David. The Canadian forward's Turin adventure has gone from promising hat-trick heroics to bench-warmer blues, and the Old Lady are eyeing a summer sale to turn a tidy profit.

David burst onto the scene with four goals in four games against Sassuolo, Napoli, Cremonese, and Parma. But since then? Crickets. He's managed just seven goals from 39 appearances across Serie A, the Champions League, and Coppa Italia. With Dusan Vlahovic nearing a return and Elias Boga stepping up, the number 30 is surplus to requirements.

David's Turin Tumble

It's not been all doom and gloom, mind. David filled the void left by Vlahovic admirably at first, but recent matches have seen Weston McKennie, Kenan Yildiz, and now Boga hogging the centre-forward spot. The former Lille star's lack of cutting edge has coaches scratching heads.

Arriving on a free last summer after his Lille contract expired, David inked a five-year deal worth €6m per season – making him one of Juve's top earners. But whispers from Turin suggest the board's patience is wearing thin. As reported by Peter Young at Football Italia, and echoed in Tuttosport, the Bianconeri are plotting an exit strategy.

Blimey, it's like signing a bargain pint only to find it's gone flat halfway through. David's struggles mirror a broader Juve striker conundrum, but with Vlahovic back, there's no room for sentiment.

Profit Motive Makes Sense

Here's the juicy bit: selling David spells pure capital gain for Juventus. No initial fee, sure, but they shelled out €12.5m in commissions, spread over three years. Offload him for a decent sum, and it's ka-ching time – perfect for balancing the books in these FFP-obsessed days.

The club aren't short of suitors, despite the dip in form. David's Ligue 1 pedigree – 87 goals and 17 assists in 178 games for Lille – still turns heads. Juventus will fancy recouping that investment and then some, especially with his wage packet off the books.

It's a smart bit of business if they pull it off. Think of it as flipping a house you got for nowt: a quick reno (or in this case, a goal drought), then cash out.

Where Next for the Canadian?

France beckons loudest, per Tuttosport. Marseille are on the prowl for a proven poacher, and relations between the clubs are tip-top. David's goal machine status in Ligue 1 makes it a no-brainer fit – imagine him terrorising defenses at the Velodrome.

Lyon, under ex-Lille boss Paulo Fonseca, were linked too, but that reunion might be too cosy for comfort. Still, it's concrete interest from Blighty's rivals.

Don't sleep on the Premier League, though. Nottingham Forest sniffed around in January, while Tottenham and West Ham eyed him last year. Forest and the Hammers splashed on Lorenzo Lucca and Taty Castellanos mid-season, but summer could reignite the chase. Spurs, ever in need of firepower, might fancy a punt.

Wherever he lands, David's pace and finishing could shine anew. For Juventus fans, it's bittersweet – a freebie flop, but potentially profitable. Keep an eye on transfer deadlines; this saga's far from over.

Fancy more transfer tittle-tattle? Stick with TheFootball.News for the latest.