Barcelona lose ground to Bayern Munich in pursuit of free agent attacker | OneFootball

Bayern Munich have emerged as the front-runner ahead of Barcelona in the race to secure the signature of Lille forward Jonathan David.

According to a report from SPORT, the final bid for the Canadian striker has already been initiated, with his contract at Lille set to expire in June.

Several Premier League club have shown interest in the player, but Bayern are currently making a strong push to sign him.

In fact, the German club aim to bring in the 24-year-old as a potential backup for Harry Kane, offering him a key role in their squad.

Barcelona have not covered any ground

While Barcelona is aware of the financial terms Bayern is offering, they have yet to take concrete steps toward signing David, despite the player’s clear desire to join the Catalan club.

David sees Barcelona as a dream destination but understands that his path to a starting spot would be challenging with Robert Lewandowski already in place.

Bayern Munich have a plan ready for Jonathan David. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

However, he is ready to accept the challenge, believing he can eventually replace Lewandowski as the main striker in the future. He is even open to adjusting his financial demands if Barcelona shows serious interest in him.

One thing is for sure

David has reportedly rejected Lille’s contract renewal offer, signalling that he is ready to make a move to a bigger club in search of more prestigious titles.

Meanwhile, Barcelona have been tracking David’s progress for some time, and his name has been discussed within the club’s sporting department since last season.

While they recognise his potential as a prolific goal scorer, there are concerns about whether his style of play fits Barcelona’s tactical system.

It is said that with Vitor Roque’s return becoming increasingly unlikely, Barcelona are now looking to their current forwards, Ferran Torres and Pau Victor, to step up.

If they do not, the club may consider signing a striker to complement Lewandowski and provide him with much-needed rest.

In the longer term, Barcelona are only expected to address the need for a top-class striker to eventually replace Lewandowski, possibly as early as 2026.