Chelsea and Arsenal target Jonathan David has admitted to watching both Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry to help improve his game ahead of Lille's big night in the Champions League.
David, 22, will most likely be intrinsically linked to Jocelyn Gourvennec's side in coming away from Stamford Bridge with a positive result on Tuesday night if things were to pan out in the French champions' favour.
His 16 goal contributions in all competitions so far this term will certainly have the likes of Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva and Edouard Mendy on their toes with the Canadian expected to play and showcase his talent with freedom attached to his shoulders, especially considering how much of an underdog Lille are considered to be in this Round of 16 tie.
"When it's the Champions League and this stage of the competition, there are no easy draws. Lille won their group and I think that reflects the performances they've produced in this competition against teams like Sevilla and Salzburg. They've been performing well so it's certainly an easy draw," Mendy warned in his player press conference on Monday afternoon.
"Lille are a very good team. They've struggled a bit more this season in the league but it's always difficult to be reigning champions.
"They've done very well in the Champions League and will give everything to make it hard for us and get a result. So it's up to us to be wary of that and play our best football."
If the current mid-table side are to pick up some form of positive result in SW6, the likes of Renato Sanches, Hatem Ben Arfa and Burak Yilmaz amongst others will have to be on their A-game but the 22-year-old must also show up to proceedings as Gourvennec's side aim to exploit the Blues when possible over the two legs.
"I think his fitness is in doubt, but Renato Sanches is the talent in this team. He brings the energy to the team. Then you have some experienced players like Burak Yilmaz, who is a player that knows the Champions League and is always dangerous," former Chelsea icon Florent Malouda said in the build-up to this game via Genting Casino.
"They have a young forward called Jonathan David who has scored three goals in the tournament so far, and they just signed Hatem Ben Arfa, someone that I played with in Lyon. If he comes in, he can always be dangerous. I’m not sure if he is in shape yet, but these are the players that Chelsea need to be careful of because they can change a game at any time."
Tuesday night coupled with the reverse leg provides a chance for the European and World Champions to use this occasion as a scouting opportunity with many other clubs like Arsenal highly keen on the Canadian star.
But what can interested scouting clubs expect to see when watching Lille's number 9 either from afar or even in some of the executive Stamford Bridge boxes?
Well, the player under the microscope has admitted in an exclusive interview with OneFootball that two Premier League icons have influenced his game to date - names that will certainly put a smile on the faces of two London club's fanbases in particular.
He opened up: “Watching a little bit of Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o. Just those quick finishes, if it’s with the toe, the outside of the foo – any type of finish you can get.
“Also Thierry Henry, the way he drops off, dribbles with the ball and takes on players. Watching the little details of his game is something you can take and put into your game.
“For me, it was about working hard and putting the work in. I like to work on dribbling, on driving with the ball, being more dangerous with the ball at my feet, and taking on defenders.
“And after, you just have to try to implement it, you have to be willing to have the guts and try it in games to see how it goes. Because if you don’t do it, it’s never going to come off and you’re just training for nothing.
“Obviously, eventually, it did pay off.”
With a mere valuation of £37million as per GOAL, both London giants may just take the punt this summer on a player who has wanted to model aspects of his own game based off Drogba and Henry respectively..
You can follow live coverage of Chelsea vs Lille in the Champions League on football.london's live blog here.
