Belgian forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, 21, made his first Premier League start for Newcastle United on September 14, 2026, in a match against Leeds United. The striker, transferred from Lille on September 1 for an initial fee of £51.4 million (approximately €60 million), had previously only played 27 minutes as a substitute in a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth. Newcastle chose to field him in the starting XI rather than continuing with a gradual integration approach. This transfer fee made him one of the most expensive signings of the summer window. Manager Matthias Jaissle emphasized the importance of carefully managing the player’s workload during the initial weeks.
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