Former Liverpool transfer target makes his mark with Anfield goal

Arne Slot's team booked a place in the eighth finals of the Champions League with a 2-1 victory over Lille.

Liverpool reached the knockout stages of the Champions League on Tuesday after beating Lille. Arne Slot's men continued their 100% record in the UCL, but had to work hard for their final three points.

The Reds took the lead in the first half through Mohamed Salah, but were then beaten back by Lille talisman Jonathan David, who himself has links with Liverpool.

David is often mentioned as a potential transfer target for Liverpool. In 2020, it was reported that the Canadian was on a three-man shortlist to strengthen Liverpool's attacking options under Jurgen Klopp. Also on the list were Ismaila Sarr and Diogo Jota.

However, in an interview published around that time, David revealed that although he liked Steven Gerrard's Liverpool side, the team under Klopp was not to his taste. He even mentioned 'Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, but also Southampton, Crystal Palace, Everton' as teams he enjoyed watching in England, notably failing to mention Liverpool.

Ultimately, Liverpool's hierarchy made the move for Jota and the Portuguese forward has made a big impact at Anfield. Despite numerous injuries on Merseyside, Jota has still provided 64 goals and 21 assists in 164 appearances for Liverpool.

However, David has forged his own path in European football and famously led Lille to a Ligue 1 title in 2020/2021, scoring the winning goal in a decisive 2-1 victory against Angers. He went on to score 24 goals in Ligue 1 in the 2022/2023 season and continues to attract interest from some of Europe's biggest clubs but has yet to be priced away from Lille.

However, his contract with the French team expires this summer, meaning Jonathan David will soon be a free agent. Still only 25, he is one of Europe's most prolific goalscorers and will be a good player if he doesn't re-sign for Lille.

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