Leeds United are in the market for a new starting striker this summer despite the club signing Lukas Nmecha on a free transfer – and Jesse Marsch has picked the player he would have signed.
Germany international Nmecha was Leeds’ first signing of the summer, joining the club on a free from Wolfsburg. But Leeds have made it clear they still want a starting striker, and Nmecha is only back-up.
Leeds still have Joel Piroe, Mateo Joseph and Patrick Bamford while Joe Gelhardt has returned after a solid loan at Hull City. Realistically, two or even three of those strikers are likely to leave this summer.
The Whites have targeted the likes of Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz, Everton ace Beto and Lecce’s Nikola Krstovic – according to some reports – but they are yet to sign a big-name striker to lead the line.
Jesse Marsch picks the striker he’d sign if still at Leeds United
Jesse Marsch of course, is now Canada manager in what is still his only job since being sacked by Leeds United in February 2023. Ultimately, it was Marsch’s tactics and transfers that saw Leeds relegated.
After a good start to life as Canada manager but a desperately poor Gold Cup campaign, Marsch has been speaking to Italian newspaper Gazzetta Dello Sport about his starting striker, Jonathan David.
“David is a 9, but also a 9 and a half, a 10 or an outside striker. With us, in Canada, he plays as a second striker or as a 10 with a centre forward nearby. And he scores a lot of goals just the same,” he said.
“When I was coaching Leeds, I would have wanted David with me in the Premier League. But now, coaching him in the national team, I have realised that he is stronger than I imagined,” Marsch added.
Jonathan David joins Juventus after stunning 2024-25 campaign
Still only 25, David has joined Juventus on a free transfer from Lille after five years with the Ligue 1 side. He scored an impressive 109 goals in 232 games, laying on 30 assists. 25 goals and 12 assists last season.
Marsch has previously said he tried to sign David for Leeds during his Elland Road stint, but he ended up bringing in Georginio Rutter who flopped in the Premier League when Leeds needed an instant impact.
David meanwhile, goes from strength to strength and with his Lille contract expiring, has completed a permanent free transfer to Juventus where he will compete with Dusan Vlahovic for a starting spot.
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