Aston Villa are leading the way for one of Europe's elite talents in what could prove a massive summer for Unai Emery's side.
Champions League almost secured
It has been a fantastic Premier League campaign for the Villans, despite being held to a draw in their most recent outing against Chelsea. With three games left to play, they can still surpass their best-ever Premier League points tally (when they recorded 74 in the first season of the competition) and they sit seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham.
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Though Ange Postecoglou's side have two games in hand and can theoretically narrow the gap to just a point, they face Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea in their final five games, meaning that even two wins from their last three games should be enough to secure fourth place for Villa.
With it will come Champions League football, and they will need a bigger squad to help deal with the additional games from the new format starting next season.
Ollie Watkins alternative lined up
One of the positions in need of strengthening is the no.9 spot, with Ollie Watkins the only recognised elite option for Emery to call upon. Though he has enjoyed a fantastic campaign, he will need support, and Villa appear to have found just the man for the job.
That comes in the form of Lille striker Jonathan David. According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, even though the 24-year-old is wanted by big Serie A clubs such as AC Milan, it is Aston Villa who are currently 'on pole' to sign the Canadian.
They lead another English club in Manchester United in the race for the attacker, who has long been linked with a move to the Premier League.
Ollie Watkins vs Jonathan David 23/24
Jonathan David
Ollie Watkins
Goals
17
19
Assists
3
12
xG
15.9
16
Shots on target per 90
1.53
1.42
Minutes per goal
139.5
156.7
Penalties
2
0
Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards dubbed him a "fantastic" player ahead of the 2022 World Cup, insisting that clubs should "keep an eye on" the Canadian.
“Jonathan David is one we should keep an eye on,” said Richards. “He’s a fantastic player. I watched him for Lille in the Champions League last season.”
Having scored 82 times in four seasons in France, he knows where the back of the net is, and takes pride in finding it with regularity. Quizzed on how much he was enjoying finding the back of the net during one particular purple patch, David admitted just how much he loves his role.
"I'm loving it", he explained after grabbing a brace. "But the most important thing is to win the match. If my goals and my work help the team, I'm happy. But the most important thing is to win. I'm in good form but it's still a collective effort because my teammates put me in the best situations to finish the actions."
Able to play either on the left of attack or centrally, David is valued at just £30m this summer, and Lille are unable to demand much more thanks to his contract expiring next year, leaving them with just two transfer windows to make any sort of return on the £23m they shelled out to bring him to Ligue 1.
He could, therefore, be a bargain buy for Emery and co.