MADRID — Canadian striker Jonathan David was introduced by Atletico Madrid on Wednesday after joining the Spanish club on loan from Juventus. The deal was announced late Tuesday. David is looking for a fresh start in Spain’s La Liga after scoring eight goals in 46 appearances during his lone season with Juventus in Italy’s Serie A. The 26-year-old arrived in Italy after a five-year run with Lille that produced 109 goals in 232 appearances, a French league title and a Super Cup. “My time at Juventus was not the easiest. It did not go as I expected, but now I am ready for a new challenge,” David said during his introductory news conference. “This league suits my qualities very well.” Atletico has the option to acquire David permanently from Juventus for 25 million euros (about C$40.2 million) at the end of the season. Asked what he needs to do to convince Atletico to exercise the option, David said the decision ultimately isn’t his. “What I can do is score goals,” he said. David, who will wear No. 15, will compete for minutes in Atletico’s attack with Argentine star Julian Alvarez and Norwegian striker Alexander Sorloth. “Of course it will not be easy,” David said. “At every top club, there is always intense competition.” David said he’s physically ready to make his Atletico debut after completing a full pre-season and playing for Juventus last weekend. Atletico Madrid finished fourth in La Liga last season and sits third this season with seven points through three matches ahead of Saturday’s visit to Athletic Bilbao. David is Canada’s all-time leading men’s scorer with 42 goals. He had a hat trick in a 6-0 win over Qatar at this summer’s World Cup and helped Canada reach the round of 16 for the first time before falling 3-0 to Morocco. David said he’s proud of Canada’s growing presence on the international stage. “It’s a great honour because soccer in Canada hasn’t always been that big,” he said. “Now we have a lot of players playing in Europe and playing for very big clubs.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 2, 2026. The Canadian Press
