Matias Fernandez-Pardo's arrival at Newcastle United hinges on one defining attribute that has convinced the club to invest £51m in the 21-year-old Belgian winger. His former coach at Gent, Arnar Vidarsson, identifies the quality that sets him apart.
He is very explosive, very fast. He has this unbelievable power.
Vidarsson, who worked with Fernandez-Pardo before his move to Lille, draws a striking parallel with another Belgian talent who has flourished in English football.
You could compare him a little bit to Jeremy Doku. They have a similar profile.
The comparison runs deeper than raw pace. Both players share an ability to manipulate defenders through sudden changes of tempo.
It is that power, that speed, that ability to go past people without needing space.Doku's trademark move—slowing a defender before explosive acceleration—is something Fernandez-Pardo has mastered.
Matias can go past people in one or two metres because of this explosiveness.
Newcastle's willingness to pay such a significant fee reflects Fernandez-Pardo's evolution beyond pure winging duties. He has developed into a wide forward capable of contributing goals at a consistent rate. His trajectory at Gent demonstrated this shift in profile and potential.
According to Vidarsson, Fernandez-Pardo's optimal position differs from where he has often been deployed.
In my opinion, his best position is central. That is how he scored most of his goals and how Lille scouted him in his last season with Gent.
The acceleration of his career happened with remarkable speed. He made his full league debut in March 2024 and played his final match for Gent that August. A run of eight goals in 11 games during that period transformed his standing within the club.
The coach started to use him as a striker. Before that, he had always been on the wing. He made a good decision because Matias started to score a lot. After that spell playing centrally, there was big interest in him.
Vidarsson's connection with Fernandez-Pardo predates this breakthrough moment. The Icelandic coach, now engaged in coach development work for FIFA, held responsibility for talent management at Gent and worked with the club's development squad. He observed a young player whose personality off the pitch contrasted sharply with his dynamism in matches.
His relationship with his father was strong. His father was all in, basically his assistant, driving him everywhere and taking good care of him. Matias did not talk too much.Yet on the pitch, he came alive with intensity and purpose.
During his time with Gent's second team, Fernandez-Pardo operated as a wide player navigating a learning curve. His decision-making in wide areas required refinement.
His decision-making on the wing was not always the best. That is something that Doku, for example, also had when he was at Anderlecht.
Vidarsson acknowledges this assessment reflects a period several years in the past.
Players develop. But he was going past people and not knowing when to cross, when to cut inside, when to go outside, when to find space in behind. And sometimes he did not have the mentality to run for the team.He attributes this immaturity to Fernandez-Pardo outgrowing the reserve team level and yearning for senior opportunities.
That is typical of a young player who was being asked to go from the first team to play for the second team.
The pathway to his breakthrough opened in early 2024 when Gent sold three attacking players for substantial fees. Malick Fofana and Gift Orban both transferred to Lyon, while Hugo Cuypers moved to Chicago Fire.
That freed up the space for Matias to play.
His subsequent rise proved meteoric, earning him a summer move to Lille.
I think it was a great move for him to go to Lille.Following a first season spent adjusting to French football's demands, he played a pivotal role in helping Lille secure Champions League qualification. This achievement made his eagerness to depart somewhat surprising within football circles, with some observers questioning whether a season of European football with the French club would have better served his development.
According to reporting from the Athletic, Newcastle were finalising a €60m deal for the Belgian winger, with personal terms on a five-year contract not expected to present obstacles and a medical scheduled before the transfer deadline. Sky Sports reported that Fernandez-Pardo had arrived in Newcastle ahead of a £55m move from Lille, with the transfer described as close to completion.
Newcastle's initial offer stood at approximately €40m excluding bonuses, before negotiations lifted the fee to roughly €55m-€60m. Fernandez-Pardo was left out of Lille's squad for the 2-2 draw against Paris Saint-Germain last week, a clear indication that his departure was imminent.
Vidarsson counsels measured expectations regarding Fernandez-Pardo's immediate impact on Tyneside.
I would say they are taking, not a risk, but let's say giving him an opportunity.This represents another significant step up in his career trajectory.
He has the potential but I really do believe that he will need one season to adapt before he can shine and become a top player in the Premier League. Because everything in the Premier League is faster, more intense. Everything there happens at a faster tempo.
The tactical system employed by Newcastle manager Matthias Jaissle may prove beneficial for Fernandez-Pardo's development, particularly if he operates in the channels rather than remaining confined to the wing.
It will probably always be better for Matias to play in a system as one of two strikers. Because of his speed, he needs space. On the wing, you can direct him in one direction and then he becomes a little easier to mark.
This positioning could evolve as Fernandez-Pardo acclimatises to his new surroundings. His capacity to develop within a bigger club and environment at Newcastle offers scope for tactical flexibility and growth. His experience at international level has been limited, with the World Cup representing a missed opportunity as he made just three substitute appearances for Belgium.
Tired of waiting for greater opportunities at Lille, Fernandez-Pardo pushed for the move that would grant him Premier League football. Much remains to be learned and proven during his Newcastle tenure. Yet supporters have legitimate reasons for optimism, not because he represents a finished product, but precisely because he is not.
The attributes he possesses remain difficult to manufacture.
What he has, of course, is that special thing that a lot of clubs are looking for in modern football, that speed, that ability to go past people and do something in small spaces. He has those attributes and they are really difficult to create. You are just born with it.
What happens next
Fernandez-Pardo was expected to travel for a medical and complete the move before Tuesday's transfer deadline. Newcastle were set to finalise the transfer on Monday evening, with the deal still pending medical clearance and administrative formalities to be completed before the window closed.
