12, 18, 13, 15, 24, and 19. That is the run of goals per league season that Lille striker Jonathan David is on.
The first two of those came in the Belgian top division, the rest in Ligue 1. At 24, it is a hugely impressive haul.
Keep in mind, too, that those early seasons came as a teenager. He will not turn 25 until next year, either. There are also assists to take into account.
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He recorded 13 in the league in his two years at Gent. In France, they have been less frequent but still useful. It leaves him with a domestic record of 101 goals in 206 games (172 starts). He is strong in Europe as well, scoring 13 times in the Europa League, Champions League, and Conference League to date from 41 appearances, as well as getting four assists.
David is, despite rarely getting the attention someone with this catalogue deserves, one of the most consistent forwards in Europe. What makes this even more impressive is that throughout this, he has been outperforming his xG.
The 101 goals referenced have come from just 83.5 xG. Essentially, it means he has scored 16 times more than the model would expect a player to from the chances he gets. Over a period of six seasons, this is mightily impressive and not just a hot streak.
It suggests that David is an exceptional finisher. Regularly outperforming the metrics is a sign of a clinical and efficient forward. It also helps to allay fears that he wouldn’t be able to transfer these skills to England. This is especially important when considering Manchester United have once again been linked with the Canadian.
David, it is said, has been contacted – via his representatives – by United. It is claimed that he could be available for as little as £25million due to now entering the last year of his contract. Aston Villa, Tottenham, and West Ham have all been touted as those snapping at the heels of Lille when it comes to David.
He has yet to sign a new deal at the club and is coming to the end of his initial deal after moving in 2020. During that time, Chelsea have regularly been linked with him as well. But now it’s time for United to enter the party.
David may not be the archetypal second striker that United may need to aid in the development of Ramus Hojlund, but he certainly has plenty to offer. He is experienced across European football and also has a very different profile from that of Hojlund.
The relative success of Hojlund last season is also another reason to trust Ten Hag here. It wasn’t always easy for the Dane in his first year at Old Trafford, but 10 league goals and two assists from 25 starts was a strong return for a player still making his way in the game.
Hojlund’s lack of senior football at the top level prior to joining and the way that Ten Hag was able to manage him throughout, even with a bigger workload than was ideal, are evidence of the results he can get. In the Champions League, his best performances came, and there is optimism that he will be able to improve across the board.
If Hojlund is anything to account for, and the displays of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are also taken into account, then working with David is an exciting opportunity for United. It would also go some way towards giving clarity over Marcus Rashford’s role.
Should the forward leave this summer, which seems immediately unlikely but not impossible, then David’s ability to play wide when needed would be valuable. If Rashford is to stay, then having a second genuine No.9 would allow Rashford to play on the left more often and not get caught up in the struggles of moving between roles, as sometimes appears to be the case.
Really, there is plenty of things David offers alone that make him a player worth watching and exploring a deal for. But via Hojlund and Garnacho, Ten Hag has already shown why he should be given the faith to move forward with another option in his attacking ranks.