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Lille sign $35-million Canadian star Jonathan David

Lille sign Jonathan David

PASADENA, CA - JUNE 15: Jonathan David #20 of Canada celebrates his goal during the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup Group A match between Canada and Martinique at the Rose Bowl on June 15, 2019 in Pasadena, California. Canada won the match 4-0 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images)

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Lille sign Jonathan David: Lille announced on Tuesday their signing of Canadian star Jonathan David from Belgian side Gent for a reported transfer fee of $35 million.

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The fee paid is a record not only for a Canadian player, but also makes David Lille’s club-record signing and the most expensive player ever sold by a Belgian club.

David had been linked with a move to dozens of clubs across Europe, including a handful of Premier League sides, in recent weeks but it would appear that Lille’s recent success with young players starring in the first team, before selling them to those bigger European sides for massive profits, was an important factor in David’s decision to move to Ligue 1.

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The 20-year-old operates predominantly as a center forward but has, on rare occasions, played as a second striker underneath the main man. David racked up 48 goals and 20 assists in his two seasons at Gent, including a number of standout performances in the Europa League.

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