Newcastle join Inter Milan in battle to sign prolific star entering the final months of contract

Newcastle United are believed to be lining up an ambitious January move for in-demand Lille striker Jonathan David.

Italian outlet Calciomercato understands that Newcastle and Inter Milan are the front-runners to make a move for the prolific Canadian international after an exceptional start to the campaign, which has already seen him register seven goals and two assists in 11 appearances this season - including a sensational hat-trick against Le Harve in his side’s last outing.

David has long been considered one of French football’s most clinical finishers and he has the potential to be a huge hit on Tyneside alongside Swedish star Alexander Isak.

The pacey forward burst onto the scene with Belgian outfit Gent when he was just 18-years-old after scoring an impressive 30 goals in 60 league appearances. This form earned him a blockbuster move to French side Lille, who signed him as a replacement for Victor Osimhen after his high-profile move to Napoli.

David has been a revelation since arriving in French football and boasts an impressive record of 91 goals and 20 assists in 194 appearances. He spearheaded his side to a league title in his first season and has regularly been amongst the top scoring strikers in the French league.

The 24-year-old is already his country's all-time leading goalscorer with 29 goals in 56 caps and is lauded for playing a defining role in helping his team qualify for the most recent World Cup in Qatar back in 2022 - the team’s first appearance at the tournament since 1986. David was coveted by a number of top European clubs throughout the summer. He told The Athletic earlier this month: “There were a couple of offers and we just didn’t finish the deal, that’s it. I spoke to a couple of teams. I spoke with coaches but ultimately I made the decision to stay.”

The Canadian superstar, who is nicknamed by his teammates as the ‘Iceman’, chose to keep his cards close to his chest for the remainder of the interview when asked about the foreseeable future.

He said: “I’m in the last year of my contract. Eventually my contract is going to run out. So then we’ll see. We’ll see what happens next year.”

Lille are fighting hard to secure the long-term future of their prized assets but at this stage no deal has been reached. Newcastle are believed to be monitoring the situation closely and could see the January transfer window as the perfect time to act, with the forward potentially being able for a cut-price fee.

The Magpies currently have Alexander Isak leading the line but he has so far struggled to reach his optimum levels after scoring just one in his opening five. The Swedish international is currently struggling with a toe injury, leaving Anthony Gordon and William Osula fighting for a starting spot.

Newcastle also have Callum Wilson on the books, but the forward has rarely played in 2024 due to injury. The ex-Bournemouth man is the team’s second top scorer in the Premier League era with 47 goals, but faces an uncertain future as he approaches the final year of his contract.

Football Insider understands Newcastle are planning to offload Wilson in January amid interest from Fulham and Brentford, but claims the Magpies will only do business if a deal for a replacement is agreed.