Newcastle United have made significant progress in negotiations with Lille over the transfer of 21-year-old Belgian forward Mathias Fernandez-Pardo, according to Get French Football News.
The Premier League club have been interested in Fernandez-Pardo throughout the summer, but talks had stalled for a prolonged period because Newcastle and Lille were unable to agree on the player’s valuation.
Those discussions have now moved forward, with the two clubs understood to be closer to reaching an agreement for the forward.
Fernandez-Pardo was left out of Lille’s squad for their match against Paris Saint-Germain on 29 August. Reports had also indicated that he had been absent from training, raising the possibility that he had already played his final game for the French club.
The Belgian’s omission from the squad came as negotiations with Newcastle advanced. However, no completed transfer has been announced and the clubs still need to finalise the terms of the deal.
Fernandez-Pardo has attracted Newcastle’s attention after a productive campaign in front of goal last season. He scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 41 appearances for Lille.
His performances have maintained Newcastle’s interest over the course of the summer, despite the earlier difficulty in settling the player’s price. The latest development represents a breakthrough after the negotiations had remained unresolved for some time.
Lille’s decision not to include Fernandez-Pardo against Paris Saint-Germain, combined with reports of his absence from training, has further fuelled speculation that he could leave the club.
The 21-year-old’s next move will depend on Newcastle and Lille completing negotiations over the transfer. For now, the Premier League side are closer to an agreement than they had been at any previous stage of the summer, with Fernandez-Pardo’s future increasingly linked to a move to England.
Last season’s record of eight goals and seven assists in 41 matches underlines why Newcastle have continued to pursue the Belgian forward. The club’s interest has been sustained throughout the transfer window, even while the two sides remained apart over his value.
A final agreement has yet to be confirmed, but the latest reports suggest the long-running discussions have entered a more advanced phase.
