Aston Villa: Jonathan David transfer chase hinges on Leeds summer pursuit
Aston Villa may only be able to sign Juventus striker Jonathan David this summer if Leeds United fail in their pursuit of Lois Openda, sources have told Football Insider.
The pair of struggling frontmen have both been heavily linked with exits from the Italian giants ahead of next season, and the Villans are ready to try and act on their long-term interest in David once again.
Unai Emery and Co. are aware that it would take a significant financial commitment to sign the 26-year-old due to his lofty wages in Turin, and sources have indicated that Juventus will be keen to block a deal if Openda departs.
The Old Lady are expected to lose Dusan Vlahovic on a free transfer, and are determined to avoid facing a total rebuild of their attacking options.
Aston Villa have identified David as a target once again after trying to sign him when he left Lille last summer, but they are likely to be reliant on developments elsewhere if they are to get a deal done.
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VISIT THE VILLA TRANSFER HUBAston Villa watch on as Leeds close in on Lois Openda
Villa watched on with a keen eye as David enjoyed successive high-scoring seasons in Ligue 1 in recent years, but they were beaten to his signature when he became a free agent last summer.
The Canadian has struggled to replicate that form since moving to Juventus, and has just six league goals from 33 games in Serie A this term.
| David at Juventus | Stats | David at Lille (2024-25) |
| 33 (20) | Apps (Starts) | 32 (28) |
| 6 (4) | Goals (Assists) | 16 (5) |
| 0.31 | Goals per 90 | 0.56 |
| 0.82 | Shots on Target per 90 | 1.23 |
| 0.67 | Big Chances Missed per 90 | 0.56 |
| 14.6% | Conversion Rate | 21.9% |
Juventus are considering the option of trying to move him on to make way for a new addition this summer, but the current indication is that they are reluctant to do so at the moment.
They are waiting on the outcome of Leeds’ move for Openda, which is now gathering pace with the West Yorkshire outfit on the brink of confirming their place in the Premier League for next term.
Football Insider revealed last week that Leeds are accelerating to try and sign Openda on a loan-to-buy deal, with Juventus holding out to recoup as much of their initial £35million outlay as possible.
Villa will be paying close attention to how that situation unfolds in the coming weeks, as it could see their chances of landing David evaporate.
Villa ready to sell Emi Martinez if ‘big offer’ comes in
Emi Martinez’s future has dominated discussions at Aston Villa in recent transfer windows, and Football Insider revealed last week that they are finally ready to cash in on the goalkeeper if a “big offer” comes in this summer.
Inter Milan have identified the 33-year-old as a clear target, and Emery and Co. are believed to be coming round to the idea of freeing up his wages and netting a PSR boost from a significant sale.
The Italian side are currently the leading candidates to secure his signature at the moment, but there are several more top clubs who are expected to jump at the chance to sign him if Villa make their intent to sell clear.
Martinez has been heavily linked with a move away from Villa Park consistently in recent windows, but this could finally be the one where those links become reality.
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