Now reported in France that Newcastle United have made an offer to buy Matias Fernandez-Pardo.
It is L’Équipe who say their information is that the bid has gone in for the young Lille star.
Matias Fernandez-Pardo is a 21-year-old who plays either as a forward or wide midfielder.
L’Équipe report that they have been told that Newcastle United have offered €40m (approx £34.2m) plus an unspecified sum of potential future-add-ons.
Originally with Lille for six years in their youth system, at the age of 15 Matias Fernandez-Pardo went back to his native Belgium and joined Gent.
After establishing himself eventually in the Gent first team he scored nine goals in 20 games in the 2023/24 season, before then Lille came back in for him and agreed a reported £10m deal to take him back to France at the age of 19.
Last (2025/26) season saw a huge breakthrough year for Matias Fernandez-Pardo as he helped Lille to third place in Ligue 1, starting 27 league matches and scoring eight goals plus getting five assists.
That breakthrough league season saw the 21-year-old suddenly selected for the World Cup finals and after making his debut for Belgium in a friendly in June, he went on to play in this summer’s tournament and now has five international caps.
The French media report that Matias Fernandez-Pardo is determined to leave Lille this summer, whilst the club’s chairman Olivier Létang doesn’t want to sell their young star without a replacement lined up.
A number of other clubs are also said to be interested in the exciting young attacking talent, including Atlético Madrid and RB Leipzig, but no news of any concrete offers from them.
Lille kicked off their season on Sunday with a 2-0 league win away at Angers but Matias Fernandez-Pardo wasn’t named in the matchday squad. However, the previous weekend he had been named on the bench for their final pre-season friendly against Everton.