Newcastle United get new Jonathan David transfer message after Anfield audition

Premier League scouts lined up at Anfield to take another look at the man who will be 2025's best and most exciting free transfer in Jonathan David.

Despite looking isolated at times and feeding off scraps, the Canada international still managed to swing the spotlight on himself as Lille lost narrowly on Merseyside. One chance, one goal and one lethal reminder that David would have the fans of the team who sign him in the summer dancing on the streets.

In total, the 25-year-old had just 26 touches of the ball against Liverpool with David's 62nd minute stunning the Kop after Lille had been reduced to 10 men. If anything David's strike was merely a half chance after the Reds failed to clear properly.

But goals from Mo Salah and Harvey Elliott were enough to not only seal the win but Liverpool's top spot in the Champions League group stage. Aftewards, David, who did not fail to remind everybody of what he can do, told Prime: "I think they might be the best team in the world at the moment.

"Tonight is one more goal [for me]. I’m happy I managed to score but we didn’t manage to get the three points. We came against the first of the Champions League group so we knew it was going to be a complicated game – even more so when we went to 10 men."

The message for watching clubs was that David means business this season. Lille are still in with a shout of qualifying for the next stage and also riding high in Ligue 1. That was the first time in any competition that Lille, managed by Bruno Genesio, had tasted defeat since September after an unbeaten run of 21 games. For David, it was his 20th of the season.

David has 101 Ligue 1 goals in just 213 matches. With Lille insisting he won't be sold in January, the scramble for a summer deal for the Canada star is taking shape.

Having watched him on Friday against Nice, Newcastle are getting in the groundwork and having done business with Lille just a couple of years ago for Sven Botman, the Magpies and the French side aren't exactly strangers.