Newcastle United are heading into the final days of the summer transfer window with momentum building both on and off the pitch at St James’ Park.
Matthias Jaissle collected his first Premier League victory as Magpies boss following an impressive 2-0 win away at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon.
Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa both found the net in the second half to secure the three points and deliver a confident performance in north London.
Newcastle had to withstand some home pressure before the break, with goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek called upon to make a number of important saves during the first half.
The Magpies grew into the game after the interval, with Elanga opening the scoring just after the hour mark before Wissa wrapped things up ten minutes later.
With the result secured, attention has quickly turned to what Newcastle can still do in the transfer market before the window closes.
The club has already strengthened significantly this summer, with Nico Gonzalez among the latest arrivals following his move from Manchester City, and Fabrizio Romano has indicated further attacking reinforcement is expected.
Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo has been consistently linked with a move to St James’ Park, with the two clubs locked in negotiations over a fee for the 21-year-old Belgium international.
Reports in France have suggested Lille are demanding around €70m for the forward, while Newcastle have been prepared to go as high as approximately €60m in their pursuit.
Now, according to journalist Santi Aouna, “Newcastle are close to an agreement with Lille for Fernandez-Pardo” after the Magpies “stepped up” discussions over the weekend.
No specific fee has been confirmed, but the signals suggest it is increasingly a matter of when rather than if the deal gets done before the deadline.
One of the most appealing aspects of Fernandez-Pardo’s profile is his versatility, with the forward capable of playing on either wing or as an out-and-out striker through the middle.
During the 2025/26 Ligue 1 season, the 21-year-old contributed eight goals and five assists while starting 27 of his 29 league appearances, logging 2,379 minutes across the campaign.
His numbers in chance creation place him in the 86th percentile among forwards, with an average match rating of 7.16 suggesting he performed consistently at a high level throughout the season.
Former Lille teammate Thomas Meunier, now at rivals Sunderland, previously praised Fernandez-Pardo’s ability to support play, attack space behind defenders and beat opponents with the ball.
Meunier went as far as describing Fernandez-Pardo as a “true soldier” because of his mentality and willingness to work hard for his team in all areas of the pitch.
That combination of technical quality, positional flexibility and attitude appears to be exactly what Jaissle and the club’s owners at PIF are looking for as they finalise their summer recruitment.
After what has been a turbulent few months, the closing stages of the transfer window are shaping up to be a genuinely positive period for supporters and the club alike.