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Bailey Keogh

Ligue 1 star sends Edu last-minute £47m Arsenal reminder ahead of transfer deadline day

Lille star Jonathan David sent Mikel Arteta a message with his excellent performance for the Canada national team ahead of transfer deadline day.

He spearheaded his national team to a historic 2-0 win over the US men’s national team, which puts his country in pole position to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

His excellent achievement aligns with Arsenal’s desperate need to sign a striker before the transfer window closes, due to the lack of quality and shortages in the team.

With less than one day remaining before the window closes, David gave Arteta a clear reason why the north London side should go all out to secure his signature.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to complete his loan move to Barcelona according to various reports, which means the Gunners will no longer have their best striker available for the final stretch of the season.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is close to securing a loan move to Barcelona. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) (David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah will be Arsenal’s only available strikers, but they have only scored two goals combined from open play in the Premier League this season.

With both of their contracts set to expire at the end of the campaign, they can only be considered as short-term options, which makes it imperative for Arsenal to sign a striker or two in the upcoming windows.

David would certainly be an excellent acquisition and would undoubtedly be an upgrade to Lacazette and Nketiah.

David has been performing excellently this season in Ligue 1 and in the Champions League , as he played a pivotal part in the club’s European knockout stage progression.

Jonathan David has been in great form for Lille this season and is attracting a lot of attention from all over Europe. (Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)

He has been extremely prolific this season, which shows he has developed from year previously where he did not get off to the greatest of starts at Lille, however in this campaign, the Canadian international already has 12 goals in Ligue 1 this season, which is the highest in a league that boasts the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.

With the £47m price tag being placed upon David, it is certainly an affordable transfer for the Gunners.

And Arsenal certainly value David as a quality player, as according to The Athletic, the club has been a long-time admirer of the young striker since his time in Belgium with Gent before he joined Lille in 2020.

However, his agent could have destroyed any claims about a deadline day move, as Nick Mavromaras said David will be available in the summer when speaking to Radio Canada.

“For us, the objective is to finish the season in Lille, but it will be his last season there for several reasons.”

Players at Arsenal would also like to see him come through the door, as Albert Sambi Lokonga liked an Instagram post about a report from ESPN who claimed that Arsenal are looking to sign Jonathan David from Lille and could make a late charge towards the end of the window.

With so little time remaining the reality of a striker not coming in is looking like the most realistic possibility, but if Edu wants Arsenal in the Champions League next season then the acquisition of David would certainly help.

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