Atlético Madrid have reached a verbal agreement with Juventus to sign Canadian striker Jonathan David on loan, pending the completion of official procedures before the closure of the summer transfer window.
The deal includes a season-long loan for David with an option to buy, with Atlético covering more than 50% of his salary, which is estimated at around €6 million net annually. The value of the purchase clause has not yet been disclosed.
The Canadian striker’s arrival is not linked to the departure of Alexander Sørloth, as Atlético have decided to keep the Norwegian international and refuse his departure, making David a new addition to Diego Simeone’s options rather than a direct replacement for any striker.
The same applies to Julián Álvarez, with Atlético firmly holding onto the Argentine forward despite his previous desire to move to Barcelona. The club’s board of directors announced their refusal to enter into any negotiations with the Catalan club, making David an extra option alongside Álvarez and Sørloth.
David did not deliver his expected performance with Juventus, having scored 8 goals and provided 5 assists across 45 matches in all competitions during the 2025–2026 season, including 6 goals in 34 Serie A appearances, before starting the current season with a new appearance without scoring.
The 26-year-old joined Juventus on July 4, 2025, on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with Lille, signing until June 2030. Although no transfer fee was paid, the Italian club announced additional costs associated with the deal totaling €12.5 million.
David made his name during five seasons with Lille, who purchased him from Belgian side Gent in August 2020 for around €27 million plus bonuses. The Canadian scored 109 goals and provided 30 assists in 232 matches, becoming the third all-time leading scorer in the club’s history and its top scorer of the current century.
