What the papers say

Dominic Solanke has emerged as a potential solution to Tottenham’s hunt for a striker. The Sun reports Spurs are watching the Bournemouth forward, 26, ahead of a summer signing.

Tottenham are also being linked with Belgium midfielder Arther Vermeeren, 18. According to The Sun, Spurs are willing to pay Royal Antwerp £25million in January with an agreement to loan him back for the rest of the season.

Jesse Lingard’s search for a new club has reached Lille, according to the Daily Mirror. But the 31-year-old former Manchester United midfielder, a free agent, could be restricted by a limit on French clubs signing players from outside the EU.

Manchester United are being linked with a move for Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee, reports the Metro via Sport1. The 22-year-old, who is valued at £26m million, has scored seven goals in 17 games for Serie A side Bologna.

Social media round-up Players to watch

Raphael Varane: The former France defender, 30, is keen on a return to his first club Lens, according to L’Equipe in France.

Goncalo Inacio: Arsenal lead the race for the Sporting defender, 22, but Liverpool are also interested, reports Portuguese outleft A Bola.

Liam Kelly reflected on the “best moment” of his life after eventually making his Scotland debut in the 4-1 defeat by France in Lille on Tuesday night.

The 27-year-old Motherwell goalkeeper was first called up to the senior squad four years ago and had to patiently await his chance, which came when Steve Clarke rested number one Angus Gunn and started with Kelly before bringing on Hearts keeper and fellow debutant Zander Clark at the interval.

It was a sore night for the Scots however, despite taking an early lead through Billy Gilmour’s first goal in senior football.

France defender Benjamin Pavard scored twice with headers as a star-studded home side fought back.

Skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break and substitute Kingsley Coman hammered a fourth past Clark in the 70th minute to seal a convincing friendly win for the superior hosts.

“The best moment of your life, isn’t it?” said Kelly when asked about his first appearance for his country.

“I played for every age group with Scotland up until now and I have been in a lot of squads along with big Zander so I was just delighted to get that moment eventually.

“I’m so grateful to the manager to get that chance and I am delighted for big Zander as well because we have been in this together from the start.

“During the game you can’t think about anything else or else you get punished, so maybe now and over the next few days it will start to sink in a wee bit but yes, the best moment of your life playing for your country.

“Me and Zander have been in the squad a long time, you take any chance you can get.

“As I said I am really grateful to the manager to give me that chance.

“He didn’t have to do it, he could have played big Angus again so I am over the moon and thankful he gave me that opportunity.

“I think I done OK in the game so it all went to plan, apart from the scoreline.”

Clark, 31, was similarly delighted to make his debut as replacement for long-time buddy Kelly.

He said: “As a kid you always dream of that moment and it was a great feeling and a special occasion as well.

“I am buzzing for Liam as well, I have known him since we were kids and a lot of hard work has gone into it.

“For us to get the first on the same night is a special moment.

“It was tough, they had stars all over the place.

“But we had good spells and a great finish by Billy and it was unfortunate to come away with such a heavy defeat but pleased with the effort we put in.”

Steve Clarke has told his Scotland players to “stop this run” of defeats next month after losing 4-1 to France in Lille.

The Scots went into the friendly knowing they had qualified for the 2024 European Championships after Spain beat Norway at the weekend to ensure a top-two finish in Group A.

Scotland had lost 2-0 to Spain last week on the back of a 3-1 loss to England at Hampden Park in the 150th Heritage Anniversary match and the French were even classier.

Clarke made eight changes from Seville – goalkeepers Liam Kelly and Zander Clark played a half each on their debuts.

Scotland stunned the home side when midfielder Billy Gilmour guided in the opener after 11 minutes – his first ever senior goal.

However, France defender Benjamin Pavard scored two headers, skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break after a VAR intervention saw referee Tobias Stieler judge Scotland defender Liam Cooper had held Olivier Giroud and substitute Kingsley Coman hammered in a fourth.

After victory in their first five Euro qualifiers, Scotland have lost three in a row and Clarke wants to get that winning feeling back in the final two qualifiers against Georgia next month before the final game against Norway.

He said: “We can take away the memory of the qualification but we lost two games in the camp.

“We don’t like losing. I don’t want them to be comfortable losing or happy to lose.

“We spoke about that after the game. It is important we set our standards higher than that.

“We have lost three in a row now and I have asked them to make sure that when we got to Georgia that we stop this run.

“We want to finish on the same points as Spain so the target is to finish with 21 point which will make it a good campaign.”

Clarke, who was “happy” with his team selection, acknowledged the superiority of the home side.

He said: “I thought we started the game really well, the first 15 minute was good and we got ourselves in front.

“To concede a goal from a corner was disappointing because we know France can score from open play and we try not to give goals away from set plays.

“The third goal – I don’t think VAR should have got involved in the decision, it was soft and when the referee goes there he has to be strong to stick with his original decision.

“Both players were at it and that takes the game away from us.

“The second half was OK but France are always a threat with their pace and power and quality.

“So lots to learn, lots to improve. We know we are not at that level yet.

“It is level we are going to strive to get to and the harder we strive the better team we will be.”

After sealing qualification to Euro 2024 with a 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Friday, France boss Didier Deschamps was happy to finish the camp off with a convincing win

He said: “It was a very good week, When you win you are always happy.

“The most important thing was against the Netherlands on Friday night and the fact that we have shown so much quality tonight as well, it is a great satisfaction for us.

“We created lots of chances against a team that can defend pretty well and has a lot of qualities. So we are very happy.”

Scotland gave France an early fright before suffering a chastening 4-1 loss to their classy hosts in Lille.

The Scots went into the friendly knowing they had qualified for the 2024 European Championships at the weekend after Spain beat Norway to ensure Steve Clarke’s side a top-two finish in Group A.

Clarke took the opportunity to utilise his squad, giving a debut to Liam Kelly among eight changes from last week’s game in Seville and they stunned the home side when midfielder Billy Gilmour guided in the opener after 11 minutes – his first ever senior goal.

However, France defender Benjamin Pavard scored twice with headers by way of a rapid response and skipper Kylian Mbappe added a third from the spot before the break.

Substitute Kingsley Coman hammered in a fourth in the 70th minute to seal a commanding win for the superior home side.

After winning their first five Euro qualifiers, Scotland have lost three games in a row and Clarke will want to get that winning feeling back in the final two qualifiers against Georgia and Norway next month.

In addition to Kelly’s introduction to international football in The Decathlon Arena Stade Pierre Mauroy, Clarke also brought in defenders Nathan Patterson, Greg Taylor and Liam Cooper, midfielders Kenny McLean, Gilmour and Lewis Ferguson and striker Che Adams.

It was always going to be a tough test against Les Blues, who qualified comfortably for Euro 2024 by winning their first six qualifiers.

Boss Didier Deschamps also freshened his side up from the 2-1 win over the Netherlands last Friday.

Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann kept their places while Ousmane Dembele and all-time leading scorer Olivier Giroud came back into the side.

The kick-off was delayed for around 10 minutes due to the long queues at the stadium amid extra security measures put in place after two Swedish nationals were shot dead in Brussels the previous evening.

There was a minute’s silence before the game to commemorate that incident and it was a low-key start to the game on a pitch still showing markings from its use in the Rugby World Cup, before the Scots took an unexpected lead.

France defender Eduardo Camavinga cut out a pass from Gilmour inside the box but with a poor touch gave it straight back to the unmarked Brighton midfielder, who curled the ball low past goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

However, there was little time for the Tartan Army to enjoy the landmark goal as a Griezmann corner from the left five minutes later was all too easily glanced past Kelly by Inter Milan centre-back Pavard.

A refocused France side took control of the game and Mbappe skipped past Jack Hendry before crossing for Pavard again to head past Kelly from close range.

The visitors were struggling to get up the pitch and in the 40th minute France were awarded a penalty after referee Tobias Stieler went pitchside at the behest of VAR and judged Cooper had held Giroud inside the penalty area, with Mbappe stepping up to send the penalty past the diving Kelly, who got close but not close enough.

The Motherwell keeper did not look great moments later when he fumbled a shot from Dembele but the lurking Mbappe could not capitalise.

Hearts keeper Zander Clark replaced Kelly at the start of the second half to make his debut and Jacob Brown and John Souttar would take over from Adams and Cooper. Giroud and Dembele made way for Marcus Thuram and Coman and in the 70th minute the latter thrashed a shot high past Clark after Griezmann had volleyed against the bar.

A low drive from Brown in a rare Scotland attack was pushed past the post by Maignan and the corner came to nothing before Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong came on for Gilmour and McLean.

Thuram rattled Clark’s crossbar with a drive and at the other Maignan made saves from Armstrong’s volley and Brown’s header but the game was already well gone for Scotland.

Rennes edged out Lille and Monaco to secure a top-four finish while Nantes' first league win since February saw them stay up at Auxerre's expense on a dramatic final day of Ligue 1 action.

Rennes clinched a 2-1 victory against Brest thanks to a Benjamin Bourigeaud brace, seizing on Lille's 1-1 draw with relegated Troyes and Monaco's 2-1 reverse against Toulouse to take fourth.

Bruno Genesio's side thus secured Europa League football for next season, while Paulo Fonseca's Lille must settle for a Europa Conference League spot and Monaco missed out entirely.

Champions Paris Saint-Germain squandered a two-goal lead in a 3-2 loss to Clermont, meaning they finished just one point clear of runners-up Lens, who ended the season with a 3-1 win at Auxerre.

That victory allowed Nantes to finalise a great escape in their final game, vaulting Auxerre to secure safety with a 1-0 win over relegated Angers.

Nantes therefore secured top-flight football for another year, evading the expanded four-team relegation zone by a single point ahead of the division being cut to 18 teams.

Auxerre, Ajaccio, Troyes and Angers will play in Ligue 2 next season, with Le Havre and either Metz or Bordeaux coming up from the second tier.

Harry Kane's future continues to be a hot topic of debate, with a number of heavyweight clubs lining up to sign the prolific striker should he indicate he wants to leave Tottenham.

Following strong links with the likes of Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, the England international is also now reportedly on Chelsea's list of targets.

The Blues have struggled for goals this term, despite a huge outlay on attacking talent over the past two transfer windows, and need to address that issue ahead of next season.

With Kane's contract due to expire at the end of next season, Tottenham's hand may be forced somewhat should a huge bid come in when the window reopens for business.

TOP STORY – POCHETTINO HOPING TO REUNITE WITH KANE

Not only are Chelsea on the lookout for new recruits – while also offloading plenty of deadwood from their squad – they are searching for a new permanent head coach.

Mauricio Pochettino is thought to be the frontrunner to take over, and the Daily Mail suggests the former Tottenham coach is hoping to work with Kane again at Stamford Bridge.

Spurs would be reluctant to sell to a fellow Premier League side, especially fierce rivals Chelsea, but it is claimed Kane would jump at the chance to reunite with Pochettino.

ROUND-UP

– Brighton and Hove Albion have a club-record £30million deal in place with Watford to sign forward Joao Pedro, while Liverpool midfielder James Milner is another target, according to The Athletic. 

– Marca suggests Real Madrid are ready to hold talks with the representatives of in-demand Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham over the next week. Liverpool recently pulled out of the race for the England international.

– Juventus could turn to Marseille coach Igor Tudor should they choose to sack Massimiliano Allegri, Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport claims. Tudor previously spent time at Juve as both a player and assistant coach.

– L'Equipe reports striker Jonathan David is likely to leave Lille at the end of the season and could be on his way to the Premier League. Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are said to be interested.

Paris Saint-Germain head coach Christophe Galtier has found support after being accused of making racist comments about players during his time as Nice boss.

The allegations came in an e-mail allegedly sent by former Nice football director Julien Fournier at the end of last season.

According to The Athletic, the email's recipient was Dave Brailsford, director of sport at INEOS, the company that owns Nice.

The contents of the email were first reported on Tuesday evening, with Galtier alleged to have told Fournier – in Fournier's words – that the club "could not have so many blacks and Muslims in the team".

Fournier and Galtier both left Nice after the end of last season, with Galtier cherry-picked to be coach of champions PSG.

Galtier's lawyer, Olivier Martin, said the 56-year-old PSG coach "contests with the greatest firmness" the accusations made against him. In a statement to AFP, Martin said Galtier "learned with amazement of the insulting and defamatory remarks".

Fournier allegedly also mentioned John Valovic, the agent and adopted son of Galtier, in the e-mail.

Valovic responded on Instagram, writing: "Thanks to everyone for your support. The accusations against me are false and intolerable. They will not remain without consequences."

Veteran Turkish striker Burak Yilmaz, who played under Galtier at Lille, said the claims of racism did not tally with his own experiences.

In a message posted on Instagram on Wednesday evening, Yilmaz wrote: "I read the news today and I felt like I have to say something. I worked with Galtier and never felt any negative behaviour from him about my religion or nationality.

"He is a great coach as well as a great person."

Defender Jose Fonte, who along with Yilmaz won the 2020-21 Ligue 1 title under Galtier at Lille, also stressed the claims came as a surprise.

"In three years working with Mr Galtier, he was always close to his players and above all, very respectful," Fonte wrote. "It is upsetting reading some news today. I have only good things to say about this man."

Jean-Michel Aulas, the long-standing president of Lyon, said he was "very sorry" for Galtier.

According to the Nice-Matin newspaper and other French media, security around Galtier has been tightened up since the allegations came to light.

Aulas, quoted by RMC, said: "I am very shocked and very sorry for Christophe, whom I know personally.

"I cannot imagine this kind of thing, but it's not for me to pass judgement. We see things happening in the public square that are so different from what we advocate in football.

"From the moment Christophe expresses his refusal to accept this type of information, he has every right to do so."

Nice issued a statement on Wednesday that read: “The facts related concern two people who no longer work for OGC Nice. This situation was treated with the utmost seriousness at the time of the events. The club will not comment further."

Fournier has firmly denied leaking the email, saying in a statement to Nice-Matin: "I am in no way responsible for the dissemination of this year-old internal information at the time of my departure from the club. The timing of these revelations revolts me as much as their content."

Galtier is expected to make a routine appearance at a PSG pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of his team's top-of-the-table Ligue 1 game against Lens the following day.

Manchester United have reportedly been sending scouts to watch Roma striker Tammy Abraham, although their pursuit could be complicated by interest from his former club.

Abraham, 25, left Chelsea following the 2020-21 season for a £34million fee, and the England international has already exceeded his Chelsea haul of 82 appearances and 30 goals in less than two seasons in Italy.

After racking up 53 outings and 27 goals in his debut campaign with Roma, Abraham has come back down to earth this time around, with just seven goals in 34 games.

There is said to be interest from United in the striker with 11 senior caps for England, although Chelsea will ultimately have the final say about whether they allow him to head to Old Trafford.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA HOLD THE KEYS TO UNITED'S ABRAHAM PURSUIT

The Athletic is reporting United are closely monitoring Abraham's progress this season and have been present at a number of Roma games for that reason, but Chelsea have negotiated a buy-back clause that will give them the option of first refusal.

As part of the sale to Roma, Chelsea included a stipulation that allows them to bring Abraham back for £70.9m (€80m) after at least two seasons have passed – meaning it will activate this coming offseason.

The report adds that Chelsea are in desperate search of a new centre forward, and that while the fee involved may be significant, it is believed to be far less than the demands expected from Napoli for 24-year-old Victor Osimhen.

ROUND-UP

– According to Mundo Deportivo, citing Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter have enquired about 29-year-old Barcelona centre-back Samuel Umtiti, who will be available for an affordable fee after rejuvenating his prospects with a strong loan spell at Lecce.

– Tottenham are trying to pry 28-year-old midfielder James Ward-Prowse away from Southampton, who would almost assuredly leave his club if they cannot fight their way out of the relegation places, according to Football Insider.

– Sport is reporting Barcelona have an interest in signing 27-year-old Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio if he allows his contract to expire in a few months and can join on a free transfer.

– According to Calciomercato, Inter are hoping to replace outgoing centre-back Milan Skriniar with Lille 22-year-old Tiago Djalo.

– Newcastle United are eyeing Manchester United's Scott McTominay and Leicester City's James Maddison as potential midfield reinforcements for next season, per Football Insider.

Neymar did not suffer a fractured ankle in Paris Saint-Germain's win over Lille, but will have to wait on the results of further scans to see if he has ligament damage.

The 31-year-old was taken off on a stretcher early in the second half at Parc des Princes on Sunday after sustaining an injury to his right ankle.

PSG went on to win 4-3 thanks to Lionel Messi's stunning stoppage-time free-kick, but Neymar's injury presents cause for concern, especially looking ahead to the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich on March 8.

Christophe Galtier suggested Neymar, who set up Kylian Mbappe's opener and scored PSG's second goal, had sprained his ankle and that has now been confirmed by PSG.

However, further scans will be required to determine if there are any issues with the ligaments.

"Victim of a sprained ankle during the match against Lille, Neymar underwent an MRI [on Sunday]," a PSG medical update read.

"This did not reveal a fracture. A new ligament assessment will be carried out in 48 hours."

Nuno Mendes also went off injured against Lille, with the Portugal international suffering "a small inflammation of the internal ligament of the right knee".

Like Neymar, the full-back will undergo more tests in the coming days to confirm the extent of the damage.

Christophe Galtier claims Paris Saint-Germain's intense fixture schedule played a part in Neymar's latest injury.

Neymar was taken from the field on a stretcher early in the second half of PSG's scintillating Ligue 1 clash with Lille on Sunday, which Galtier's team won 4-3 thanks to Lionel Messi's stunning late free-kick.

Brazilian forward Neymar appeared to go over on his right ankle while challenging Benjamin Andre, and Galtier said the early diagnosis was a sprain.

That could make Neymar a doubt to feature for PSG in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Bayern Munich on March 8.

Asked if bad luck was responsible for the 31-year-old's issue, Galtier told reporters: "No, it's not bad luck.

"There are always reasons for injuries: the schedule, the sequence of games. There is no chance [it is just luck].

"Of course it complicates things and that's the way it is. We have to keep our heads down. We're going to do it again, but with a victory. That's more pleasant."

Neymar has played nine times since PSG's season restarted after the World Cup, in which he also suffered an ankle injury.

The 31-year-old played the whole 90 minutes in Tuesday's 1-0 defeat to Bayern, and in the league loss at Monaco three days earlier.

"[Neymar] is being examined," explained Galtier, who also had to take Nuno Mendes off due to an injury. "He went quickly to have tests to know the severity of his sprain.

"Nuno Mendes stretched his medial collateral ligament a little bit, but it really doesn't look serious at all."

Galtier said ahead of the game that he had spoken with Neymar after the forward was pictured in a McDonald's during a midweek night out in Paris.

Neymar set up Kylian Mbappe's opener at the Parc des Princes and then made it 2-0 to PSG in the 17th minute, but Lille hauled themselves level through Bafode Diakite and Jonathan David's controversially awarded penalty.

Jonathan Bamba completed the turnaround for Lille, who boasted a better expected goals (xG) total than their hosts (2.5 to 2.3), but Mbappe equalised before Messi curled in a wonderful free-kick in the fifth minute of added time.

"The difference on this game? It's very easy. The difference was Messi, it was Mbappe," said Lille coach Paulo Fonseca.

"That's the difference, because I think the whole game we dominated.

"We created a few chances, we played our game, and I think we deserved another result. But that's how it is, that's football. But I think the difference was Messi and Mbappe."

Lionel Messi scored a stoppage-time free-kick as he and Kylian Mbappe came to Paris Saint-Germain's rescue in a pulsating 4-3 victory over Lille.

PSG's prospects looked bleak when Jonathan Bamba's stunner put Lille 3-2 up after Neymar had gone off on a stretcher with an ankle injury.

The Ligue 1 champions had seemed in control after 17 minutes of Sunday's clash at Parc des Princes thanks to Mbappe and Neymar, only for Lille to deservedly haul themselves level through Bafode Diakite's header and Jonathan David's contentiously awarded penalty.

Yet Mbappe, who prodded home in the 87th minute to restore parity, paved the way for Messi to curl in a wonderful free-kick off the right-hand upright deep into the seven minutes of added time.

Neymar was taken off on a stretcher in Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 clash with Lille on Sunday.

The Brazil star had assisted Kylian Mbappe's opener and put PSG 2-0 up in a thrilling first half at Parc des Princes.

But with PSG leading 2-1, Neymar had to go off shortly into the second half following a clash with Benjamin Andre, in which he appeared to injure his right ankle.

The 31-year-old was ultimately unable to walk off and was evidently in distress as he was carried from the field.

Insult was added to injury for PSG when Marco Verratti was adjudged to have fouled Tiago Djalo in the penalty area, with Jonathan David duly converting from the spot to restore parity.

Neymar's injury could present a huge blow to PSG's Champions League hopes; they trail Bayern Munich 1-0 heading into the second leg of their last-16 tie at Allianz Arena.

There is just under three weeks until that clash on March 8, and Christophe Galtier – who also lost Nuno Mendes to injury in the first half – will be hoping Neymar's issue is not as serious as it first appeared.

Christophe Galtier accused a reporter of "lacking a little respect" when asking about Paris Saint-Germain's tactics as the under-pressure coach bids to get his team's season back on track.

Three defeats have left PSG bruised, with a Coupe de France exit at Marseille's hands followed by a Ligue 1 defeat at Monaco and a Champions League last-16 first-leg loss to Bayern Munich.

Ahead of a home game on Sunday against his former club Lille, Galtier was asked about the low block he deployed initially against Bayern on Tuesday.

Hampered by injuries, Galtier resorted to a defensive tactic he felt would give PSG a chance of resisting the German champions until he could introduce Kylian Mbappe – back from an injury break – off the bench and open up the game.

Galtier appeared to be in the process of being asked whether he would use the same system against Lille, a team who, like Bayern, play in an open, attacking manner.

"Are you making fun of me by asking this question?" Galtier said, interrupting the reporter.

"Do you think I was satisfied with what I saw against Bayern? No, I was not satisfied.

"My players didn't do well. We had a game plan that was adapted to the players available. Do you think that starting Warren Zaire-Emery in such an important Champions League game under the age of 17 is something I had been working towards?

"The circumstances dictated that, and I didn't have other options. We wanted to contain Bayern Munich, to then move into the second phase by bringing Kylian on.

"When Kylian came on, it created more openings for Bayern, but also for us. It was a different game.

"I respect your question, but if you think that I enjoyed watching my team play that way for 60 minutes, it's because – with a lot of respect – you are lacking a little respect."

Jumping back in, the reporter suggested Galtier had given an answer that was not in line with the question being asked.

He was stopped in his tracks again as Galtier cut in, saying: "PSG have to play attacking, attractive football. It doesn't have to be spectacular, but it has to be effective to win. If the players can put on a spectacle and entertain the fans, of course we will do that."

Galtier is in his first season with PSG, having taken over from Mauricio Pochettino who led the Parisians to the French league title in 2021-22 but oversaw exits from the Coupe de France and Champions League at the last-16 stage.

If PSG fail to overturn their deficit against Bayern, they risk exactly the same outcome this season, providing they make sure of the Ligue 1 trophy.

Domestic league success was not enough for Pochettino to be retained and the same may apply for Galtier, who on taking the PSG job said it was one that comes with "more pressure than anywhere else".

Jonathan David says it is "very possible" he will be on his way to a Premier League club in the near future amid reported links with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal.

The 22-year-old has starred for Lille this season with nine goals in 15 games and caught the eye in his three appearances for Canada at the 2022 World Cup.

David previously described England's top flight as "the best league in the world" and he has now confirmed he expects to play in the division soon.

"I think it's possible, very possible," he told La Voix du Nord. "I don't know if I can find myself anywhere other than the Premier League. It could well be the Premier League. 

"It's a very nice atmosphere. In England, when I watch the matches, every stadium is full each time. As a player, it motivates you even more."

David is into his third season with Lille and has netted 37 goals in 90 Ligue 1 appearances, a goal tally only four others in the division can better over that period.

United are reportedly considering an approach for the forward in January as they seek a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, while Arsenal are also in the market for an attacker.

And Lille head coach Paulo Fonseca admits his side face a tough task keeping hold of in-demand David, who is under contract until June 2025.

"It will be difficult to keep Jonathan at the club next season," Fonseca told La Voix des Sports. "There aren't many strikers with his skills and numbers in Europe… and he's just 22."

Reported Manchester United target Jonathan David believes the Premier League is "the best in the world" and says every footballer wants to play there.

David, who featured in all three of Canada's games at the World Cup, has started the 2022-23 season in fine form for Lille in Ligue 1, scoring nine goals in 15 appearances.

That has apparently caught the attention of English giants United, who are in the market for a new forward following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

David, 22, is not aware of any interest, but revealed he has ambitions to play in the English top flight "some day".

"I am aware of nothing," David said. "When I am at the World Cup I am just focused on trying to enjoy the World Cup and enjoying the moment.

"What happens after I do not know, we will have to see.

"The Premier League is the best league in the world and I think every player would want to play there some day."

Canada crashed out of their first World Cup since 1986 after losing all three of their Group F games.

However, David believes the Maple Leafs gathered enough experience in Qatar to put in a much better showing in four years' time when they co-host the tournament alongside the USA and Mexico.

"What makes the difference at the highest level is the smallest differences," he added.

"Any player who plays at the World Cup, no matter what the outcome, you become a better player, you learn from it, and it helps you grow.

"The future is bright, despite the three losses. There are some good things we take and learn from to try and do better in the future.

"What makes the difference at the highest level is the smallest things, not finishing our chances and not holding onto scorelines."