Jonathan David is determined to earn a second chance at Juventus despite reportedly being deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Luciano Spalletti, according to reports in the Italian media. The Canadian international, who recently returned from World Cup duty, is keen to prove his worth to the Tuscan coach.
David’s performance at the World Cup with Canada, despite scoring a hat-trick, highlighted the same issues he displayed during his time in Turin: missed chances, technical errors, and limited impact on team play. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old believes he can turn things around, drawing on his past experiences at Genk and Lille where he experienced a similar slow start before becoming a prolific goalscorer. He scored 14 goals in his first Belgian season, progressing to 23 in his second, and then 13, 19, and 26 goals across three seasons in France.
Spalletti, however, appears unconvinced, reportedly criticizing David’s lack of aggression and determination. The coach has repeatedly stated that David doesn't possess the “ferocity” to consistently win crucial battles for the ball, and lacks the instinct to aggressively pursue opportunities in the penalty area. Spalletti is reportedly prioritizing the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani to replace the departed Dusan Vlahovic, alongside the recent acquisition of young striker Jeff Ekhator, and desires a third forward with a more physical presence.
The situation is complicated by David’s substantial salary of €6 million per year. Juventus are finding it difficult to attract potential buyers, and without his departure – and that of Openda, who is expected to go out on loan – it will be challenging to finance the purchase of another striker. Spalletti previously experimented with deploying David in a more withdrawn role, partnering him with Vlahovic, but this tactic was only used for 23 minutes against Verona. There is a possibility Spalletti could revisit this approach, hoping for a similar transformation to the one Edin Dzeko experienced under his guidance at Roma a decade ago, where Dzeko went from struggling to becoming a Serie A top scorer.
