Matias Fernandez-Pardo possesses a rare attribute that likely convinced Newcastle United that he can thrive in England’s top flight: sheer explosiveness. As his former Gent manager Arnar Vidarsson told Sky Sports, "He is very explosive, very fast. He has this unbelievable power." This raw speed and power are the hallmarks of his game and the primary reason the Magpies were willing to spend £51 million on the 21‑year‑old Belgian international. Vidarsson, who coached Fernandez‑Pardo at Gent before the player’s move to Lille, immediately drew a parallel with another Belgian winger who has already made a name for himself in the Premier League – Jeremy Doku.
"You could compare him a little bit to Jeremy Doku. They have a similar profile," the Icelandic coach explained. Both players share a blend of blistering acceleration and the ability to surge past defenders in tight spaces without needing a lot of room.
Doku is known for slowing a defender down with a quick feint before exploding forward; Fernandez‑Pardo displays the same pattern, often slipping past an opponent in just one or two metres thanks to his explosive burst. Newcastle’s decision to invest a sizable fee in Fernandez‑Pardo was not based solely on his speed. Over the past season, he has demonstrated a genuine goal‑scoring instinct, evolving from a traditional wide man into a more central attacking threat.
Vidarsson believes his optimal position is actually in the middle of the pitch. "That is how he scored most of his goals and how Lille scouted him in his last season with Gent," he said. The young striker made his full league debut in March 2024 and, by August, had already completed a remarkable run of eight goals in eleven appearances.
This prolific spell prompted Lille’s coach to shift him from the wing to a central role, a move that paid immediate dividends and attracted interest from across Europe. The relationship between Vidarsson and Fernandez‑Pardo predates the player’s first‑team breakthrough. The Icelandic coach, now involved in coach development for FIFA, oversaw talent management at Gent and worked closely with the club’s development squad.
He recalls a quiet youngster whose family, particularly his father, provided unwavering support. "His father was all in, basically his assistant, driving him everywhere and taking good care of him. Matias did not talk too much," Vidarsson recollected, noting that the boy seemed to come alive once he stepped onto the pitch.
In his early days at Gent, Fernandez‑Pardo operated primarily as a wide player for the reserve side. Vidarsson admits that his decision‑making on the flank was initially inconsistent.
"His decision‑making on the wing was not always the best," he said, drawing a comparison to Doku’s early years at Anderlecht, where the young winger also struggled with timing his crosses and cuts. Over time, the Belgian refined his instincts, learning when to stay wide, when to cut inside, and when to make runs behind the defense.
Vidarsson believes that a combination of natural talent and hard work allowed Fernandez‑Pardo to outgrow the reserve level and seize the first‑team opportunity that soon arrived. The breakthrough came in early 2024 when Gent sold three key attackers – Malick Fofana and Gift Orban to Lyon, and Hugo Cuypers to Chicago Fire – creating a vacuum in the attacking line‑up. "That freed up the space for Matias to play," Vidarsson explained.
Seizing the chance, Fernandez‑Pardo flourished, and his performances earned him a move to Lille later that summer. At Lille, he adapted quickly, playing a pivotal role in the club’s qualification for the Champions League during his debut season. Despite the success in France, Fernandez‑Pardo expressed a desire to test himself elsewhere, and Newcastle’s offer proved irresistible. Some observers find it surprising that he chose to leave a Champions League‑participating side, as continued exposure to Europe’s elite competition could have further accelerated his development.
Vidarsson, however, urges patience. "I would say they are taking, not a risk, but let's say giving him an opportunity," he said, emphasizing that the Premier League represents a step up in intensity and tempo. He predicts that Fernandez‑Pardo will need at least one season to adapt before he can truly shine in England.
Tactically, there is speculation that Matthias Jaissle’s vertical style at Newcastle could suit the Belgian’s strengths, especially if he is deployed as one of two central strikers rather than being confined to the wing. "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," Vidarsson argued.
A central role would grant him more freedom to exploit his pace in varied directions, potentially making him a more unpredictable and harder‑to‑contain threat. Fernandez‑Pardo’s international career has yet to fully blossom. At the recent World Cup, he managed only three brief substitute appearances for Belgium, a situation he found frustrating. Determined to prove his worth, he pushed for a move that would grant him regular top‑level football, and the Premier League offered exactly that platform.
For Newcastle supporters, the excitement surrounding Fernandez‑Pardo stems not from a perception that he is a finished product, but from the knowledge that he is still a work in progress with immense upside. He possesses that coveted modern‑football trait – speed combined with the ability to beat defenders in cramped areas – which is difficult to teach and highly valued by clubs worldwide. As Vidarsson summed up, "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."