Report: Roma Joins the Race for Jonathan David

First impressions at work can often be a dicey thing. Typically, you're a bundle of nerves during your first days at a new job, careful to follow the rules and procedures while also attempting to learn the finer, and some might say more important, unwritten rules: how much you can fudge the dress code, which break room fridge is the coldest and which of your new co-workers has the best snacks at their desk.

It would be great if you could just ignore office politics and waltz into your new gig on day one and make a significant, potentially paradigm-shifting decision within your first few days on the job. Unfortunately, not many of us have that luxury, but Roma's new Technical Director, Florent Ghisolfi, seems poised to do just that—if you believe today's reports from the Corriere dello Sport.

According to the CdS, Ghisolfi's first strike could be swift, decisive, and extremely exciting, as Roma’s new transfer guru has his sights set on Lille striker Jonathan David. The 24-year-old Brooklyn-born Canadian striker has taken to life in Ligue 1 with aplomb, scoring 71 goals in 146 league appearances over the past four seasons.

Valued at a cool €50 million by the fine folks at Transfermarkt, David is sure to have plenty of suitors, but with only one year remaining on his deal, he could be had for less. The problem, as you likely guessed, comes down to two things: salary and perks, a/k/a playing in the Champions League.

While Roma's positive working relationship with Lille could work in their favor, they may struggle to meet David's salary demands, especially if all the usual suspects get involved. Their continued absence from the Champions League could also hurt their chances.

Still, if Ghisolfi wants to make a strong first impression—and if the Friedkin family wants to go large on the actual transfer market—landing a 24-year-old goal-scoring machine is a hell of a start.