Juventus boss Thiago Motta reportedly had a brief tactical chat with Lille striker Jonathan David following Tuesday’s Champions League contest.
The Bianconeri are looking to bolster their ranks with a new attacker either in January or in June. Dusan Vlahovic is currently the solitary option available in the squad, while Arkadiusz Milik’s physical condition remains a major concern.
Therefore, Cristiano Giuntoli and company have been keeping tabs on David who cemented himself as one of the deadliest bombers in Ligue 1 over the past few years. And if the Bianconeri had any doubts left about the 24-year-old’s credentials, he certainly dispelled them in his impressive outing against Motta’s side.
The two teams shared the spoils in the European contest, with the Brooklyn native breaking the deadlock for the French club with a clinical finish after escaping his markers. Vlahovic then restored parity from the spot, but David’s exploits didn’t go unnoticed.
According to Il Corriere dello Sport via Calciomercato, Motta took the opportunity to discuss his tactical ideas with the Lille striker after the contest, in a chat that wasn’t caught by the cameras.
The 42-year-old reportedly explained his football philosophy to the Canadian, particularly the offensive phase.
And while the source believes that David would be happy to join Motta’s revolution, it remains to be seen if Giuntoli would be able to pull off the operation, especially amidst the strong challenge for the player’s services.
The Brooklyn native is currently running on an expiring contract, so a host of European giants are reportedly hoping to lure him on a free transfer next summer, including Chelsea.
Juventus might attempt to anticipate the competition by agreeing a transfer with Lille in January – as they did in Tiago Djalo’s case last winter – but the Ligue 1 side won’t relinquish their striker for a figure below 20 million euros, claims the source.