Newcastle United Nears £55m Deal for Lille Forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo
Newcastle United is on the verge of finalizing a deal for Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, with the transfer potentially worth up to £55 million. The club aims to bolster its attacking options as the transfer window approaches its deadline.
In recent days, Newcastle has actively sought to enhance its squad after making seven signings this summer. Fernandez-Pardo’s exclusion from Lille’s squad during their recent 2-2 draw against Paris St-Germain raised eyebrows, as he has been instructed to train separately from the first-team until the transfer window closes on Tuesday.
As negotiations progress, securing Fernandez-Pardo could also influence the future of fellow forward Nick Woltemade, who is reportedly attracting interest from Juventus and may leave on loan.
Fernandez-Pardo has been a long-term target for Newcastle, tracing back to the tenure of former head coach Eddie Howe. His performance metrics stand out; last season, among players aged 21 and under in Europe’s top five leagues, he ranked second for big chances created with 21, fifth for touches in the opposition box with 184, and seventh for combined goals and assists with 13.
Furthermore, Fernandez-Pardo’s versatility to operate in multiple attacking roles makes him an appealing option for Newcastle’s management. Head coach Matthias Jaissle expressed satisfaction with the club’s transfer strategy, stating that despite the limited time left in the window, there is no rush to make hasty decisions.
“We know our needs,” Jaissle commented after a 2-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur. “Ross [Wilson, the sporting director] is doing an amazing job. We have a couple of days left where we will not panic and do something crazy we do not believe is the right decision. That’s the most important thing, and on the management and leadership level that we’re all aligned and all speaking the same language.”
Newcastle United are closing in on the signing of Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo in a deal worth up to £55m.
Newcastle have been pushing to recruit another attacker in the final days of the transfer window after making seven signings to date this summer.
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Fernandez-Pardo was tellingly left out of Lille’s squad for the 2-2 draw against Paris St-Germain last week and ordered to train away from the first-team squad until the window shuts on Tuesday and the 21-year-old’s future has been resolved.
Newcastle are now finalising a move for Fernandez-Pardo, which could pave the way for fellow forward Nick Woltemade to leave on loan following interest from Juventus.
The Belgium forward has been a longstanding target of Newcastle’s – dating back to former head coach Eddie Howe’s time in charge – and fits the age range the club have been targeting.
Of those players aged 21 and under across Europe’s big five leagues last season, Fernandez-Pardo ranked second for big chances (21), fifth for touches in the opposition box (184) and shots on target (30), and seventh for goals and assists combined (13).
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His ability to play in a number of positions across the frontline also made him an attractive target as manager Matthias Jaissle looked to strengthen his squad.
“We know our needs,” he said after the 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. “Ross [Wilson, the sporting director] is doing an amazing job.
“We have a couple of days left where we will not panic and do something crazy we do not believe is the right decision.
“That’s the most important thing, and on the management and leadership level that we’re all aligned and all speaking the same language.”
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