Former coach Arnar Vidarsson believes the Magpies have pulled off one of the coups of the summer with the signing of the Belgian wonderkid from Lille.

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Newcastle United supporters have been told they may have secured one of the transfer coups of the summer after completing a €60m (£51.4m) deal for Lille’s Matias Fernandez-Pardo, with the 21-year-old drawing comparisons to his fellow Belgian and Manchester City star Jeremy Doku.

The Magpies left the deal late in the window, with sources confirming on Monday that a big-money agreement between Newcastle and Lille had been struck for the five-cap Belgium international.

‘Unbelievable Power and Explosiveness’

Speaking to Sky Sports, Fernandez-Pardo’s former coach Arnar Vidarsson was effusive in his praise of the young forward, likening his playing style to that of Jeremy Doku.

“He is very explosive, very fast,” Vidarsson said. “He has this unbelievable power. You could compare him a little bit to Jeremy Doku. They have a similar profile. It is that power, that speed, that ability to go past people without needing space. That Doku trademark of slowing the defender down and then suddenly speeding up? He has it too. Matias can go past people in one or two metres because of this explosiveness.”

The Icelandic coach added that Fernandez-Pardo’s decision-making on the wing was not always the best – a trait he noted Doku also had at Anderlecht – but stressed that players develop and improve over time. He also acknowledged that the youngster “sometimes did not have the mentality to run for the team” – a clear area for growth under new Magpies boss Matthias Jaissle.

Best Position: Central Striker

Although Fernandez-Pardo initially made his name as a winger, he operated primarily as a central striker for Lille last season, contributing 13 goal involvements (eight goals, five assists) from 29 Ligue 1 appearances.

Vidarsson is convinced Newcastle will see the very best of the 21-year-old if they deploy him through the middle. “In my opinion, his best position is central,” he said. “That is how he scored most of his goals and how Lille scouted him in his last season with Gent.”

After scoring eight times in 11 games in that role, Fernandez-Pardo now sees himself as a striker too. “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.”

One Season to Adapt?

Vidarsson was candid about the challenges ahead for the Belgian in the Premier League, suggesting patience will be required.

“I would say they are taking, not a risk, but let’s say giving him an opportunity,” the coach said. “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. It will probably always be better for Matias to play in a system as one of two strikers.”

A Summer of Transformation on Tyneside

The deal for Fernandez-Pardo caps a remarkable summer turnaround for Newcastle. Having endured a string of high-profile exits and early fears of a season of struggle, the Magpies have hit the ground running under new boss Jaissle – taking four points from their first two games, a tally that would have been six but for a last-gasp penalty concession at home to Liverpool.

With the ‘explosive’ Belgian now added to Jaissle’s attacking options, Newcastle fans have every reason to feel optimism about the season ahead. Whether Fernandez-Pardo can live up to his ‘next Doku’ billing, however, may depend on how quickly he adapts to the relentless pace of English football.