‘Wants to leave’ – Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea target demands transfer

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Accredited football journalist and editor covering the game since 2006

Lille striker Matias Fernandez-Pardo has demanded to a summer transfer amid interest from top clubs around the Premier League and Europe.

Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Atletico Madrid are all interested in signing the Belgium international, though they face a major battle.

While Fernandez-Pardo has asked for a summer transfer, Lille have shut down the possibility, setting up a major tug-of-war for the talented frontman before the transfer deadline, L’Equipe reports.

Current ETV

Matías Fernández-Pardo

F (C), M (L)

Lille

Matías Fernández-Pardo

F (C), M (L)

Lille

€29M

ETV Range

€26.1M - €31.9M

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Lille ‘counting on’ Fernandez-Pardo

Fernandez-Pardo played a major role for Lille as they secured Champions League football for this season. The 21-year-old scored eight goals and laid on five more for Bruno Genesio’s side in Ligue 1 alone.

With Lille’s other major striker Hamza Igamane still recovering from a serious knee injury and veteran Olivier Giroud unable to play three games per week, the Ligue 1 side have no intention of selling the Spain-born Belgium international star.

“The player is under contract until 2029, and his departure is not an issue,” Letang told L’Equipe. “We are counting on him, he knows that, and we have been very clear with him.”

Fernandez-Pardo, though, would seem to have other ideas. He has been mulling over the possibility of a move for more than a year, and with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea among others studying him, he would like to explore the possibilities.

Letang blames a new representative for stirring up trouble.

“He never had a release clause. Every player I told could leave has left. It's the same old story as last summer, with yet another new agent,” he lamented.

Ticks boxes at Arsenal

Fernandez-Pardo’s most natural fit is with Arsenal. The Gunners are looking for an attacker to play wide on the left but capable of operating inside.

The North London side have missed out on Vinicius Junior and seem to have been priced out of a move for Julian Alvarez, but the World Cup quarter-finalist is capable of operating in this role. Indeed, he played more than 1000 minutes as a winger in Ligue 1 last season.

There are elements of Viktor Gyokeres in the way he plays, in that he is at his best when attacking the channels behind defences, using intelligence and power to test his opponents. He is also capable in the air.

But unlike Gyokeres, Fernandez-Pardo can also successfully start in a wider area, which is no doubt why Mikel Arteta’s side are following him.

At 21, he is not the finished article by any means, though data analytics firm SciSports reports that he has the potential to become a first-team starter at Arsenal.

Lille have attempted to shut down a deal, but with Fernandez-Pardo having set his eyes on bigger things, the possibility of a summer move should certainly not be ruled out.