You knew that Newcastle United would make a major move or two before the summer transfer window deadline day closed, and here we are. Having sold off several key pieces, like Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali, Newcastle needed to bring in some new players to balance the books. And on Monday, the newest recruit was revealed- Lille attacker Matias Fernandez-Pardo.
⚪️⚫️✈️ EXCL: Matias Fernandez Pardo, on his way to Tyneside as he will become new Newcastle player on Tuesday.
Here with his agent from DWMA agency.
All done with Lille today for fee over €60m as exclusively revealed. #nufc pic.twitter.com/OMxwfTChWw
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 31, 2026
Both of the two leading transfer experts, David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano, are reporting on this development today. According to Romano, Newcastle and Lille reached agreement on a €60m (£51.4m) deal, plus add-ons, for the 21-year-old Belgian.
And as Ornstein is reporting, Fernandez-Pardo is set to sign a five-year-deal, which would keep him contracted at the club until 2031.
Fernandez-Pardo has traveled to Newcastle tonight, ahead of his medical tomorrow and perhaps his official announcement on Wednesday.
If everything goes according to plan, then he could make his Newcastle debut on Saturday, at home to AFC Bournemouth.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.