Atlético Madrid sign Jonathan David as competition for Julián | OneFootball

As expected, Atlético Madrid completed the late-window loan signing of Jonathan David from Juventus. The 26-year-old arrives at the Metropolitano to compete directly with Julián Álvarez after the Argentine’s aborted summer move to Barça.

The move was finalised once Juventus secured Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade on loan, then gave the green light to Atlético. Part of David’s wages will be covered by his former club.

David is set to fight Julián for a starting place, although Diego Simeone could at times pair them in a 4-4-2. Their profiles are not incompatible, with Julián the more mobile forward and the Canadian more of a finisher.

At 26, David joins in what should be a mature phase. Last season he returned eight goals and five assists in 46 matches, but across five campaigns at Lille he produced 109 goals and 26 assists in 232 games.

His breakthrough came at Gent, where over two seasons he scored 37 and supplied 14 in 83 appearances. Those numbers earned a 27 million euros switch to Lille.

Now he will look to win Simeone’s trust and go toe to toe with Julián, who remains under scrutiny from Atlético fans after the summer. "I am happy to be here. It is a club with a lot of ambition. The objective every season is to win a trophy," he said to El Chiringuito. It is rumoured this could be Simeone’s final season, and his aim is to leave on a high.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo

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