Jonathan David #10

Profile

“He's the smartest player I've ever coached,” says Jesse Marsch. David really is a cerebral striker, a two-footed finisher with the workrate of a midfielder. He has undergone quite the journey from timid youngster playing in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, to becoming a global star with Juventus. It was his bold gamble as a teenager to sign with Belgian side Gent instead of staying in Canada that accelerated his road to the top. David then moved to Ligue 1 side Lille and immediately played his part in their surprise 2020-21 title win, before blossoming into one of the best strikers in Europe across his half-decade in France. Having been heavily linked with a move to England, David told The Guardian last year: “For me, watching the Premier League, the biggest difference it’s just the intensity. The game is always at a high-end tempo, always 100% back and forth for 90 minutes.” Known as The Iceman for his cool, unflappable nature, David sees himself as “someone that’s always calm. As a striker, someone who’s relied on to score goals, I think that quality comes in handy.” After a slow start in Turin, the striker earned more game time under Luciano Spalletti as the season unfolded.

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