Deal agreed at 60 million euros
Newcastle have got their winger. The Magpies have struck a deal with Lille for the transfer of Matias Fernandez-Pardo. The fee is 60 million euros, with add-ons to follow, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The 21-year-old Belgian has given the green light to the move to England. He was due to fly out on Monday to complete the switch before the window shuts.
Newcastle have beaten off serious competition too. Arsenal had been monitoring the situation, as had Atletico Madrid. The Premier League club moved first by stepping up talks over the past few days.
Try it for $0.99.
Left out of the Lille squad
The saga had dragged on for a week. Davide Ancelotti confirmed the player had been left out before the weekend. “We decided that he would not train with the group until the end of the transfer window and until his situation is resolved,” the Italian coach explained.
He added that it was a club matter, not a football one. The message left little doubt about how this one would end.
Lille had opted to speed up talks over the future of their forward. Newcastle gradually matched their demands to get the deal done.
Lille have more than quintupled their money
The maths is eye-catching. Lille paid about 11.5 million euros to prise Fernandez-Pardo away from Gent last summer. Twelve months later, they are cashing out at more than five times that.
His numbers are decent, not dazzling: 8 goals and 7 assists in 41 matches last season. It was the potential that drove the price up, not the end product.
This is a second blockbuster sale for Lille after Bouaddi’s move to Manchester City. Their bank balance has never looked healthier in a single summer.
Newcastle plug a gap
From an English point of view, the arrival helps fill the hole left by Anthony Gordon’s move to Barcelona. The Magpies get a young attacking option to soften the blow of losing their winger.
The English window shuts on Tuesday night. Newcastle have landed their big signing before the buzzer.
Discover the rest of the FOOT news on our mathodds site and app!
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
Leave a Reply