The final three days of this transfer window are set to be ultra-busy at AXA Training Centre. Bradley Barcola is due to arrive on Merseyside imminently, ahead of finalising his £123 million move from Paris Saint-Germain. Heading out the door though is Cody Gakpo, poised to join Manchester City for around £85 million, after the Dutchman snubbed Spurs in favour of a move to the Etihad.
However, it has been widely reported that the Reds will only sanction the sale of Gakpo if another wide-attacker was to arrive, alongside Barcola. Well, after deciding that Yankuba Minteh was too expensive, valued at £80 million by Brighton, Ismaïla Sarr seemed to be who they are going to target, reportedly preparing a bid of around £70 million for the 28 year old Crystal Palace attacker.
Fair to say, supporters are not enamoured with this potential move, but has an alternative been identified? Well, according to journalist Nicolò Schira, Liverpool "are in the race" to sign Matias Fernandez-Pardo from LOSC Lille. He adds that les Dogues valued the 21 year old at €75 million, which is around £64 million, with Newcastle United the other genuinely interested party.
Earlier this summer, Newcastle activated Víctor Muñoz's Osasuna release clause, only for the Reds to hijack that deal. So, could the same happen again?
Should Liverpool sign Matias Fernandez-Pardo?
Fernandez-Pardo began his senior career at Gent before joining Lille two summers ago for around €12 million. He scored four goals and registered three assists during his first Ligue 1 season, before increasing this tally to eight and five last time round, a key figure as les Dogues qualified for the Champions League by finishing third.
This form helped him earn a senior international debut for Belgium against Croatia at Stadion Rujevica just before the World Cup, subsequently featuring in all three of the Red Devils' group stage matches over in America. However, the 5-1 win over New Zealand in Vancouver is the last time the 21 year old has been seen on a pitch.
That is because, Fernandez-Pardo is currently refusing to play for Lille. He claims that les Nordistes promised he could leave this summer, something club President Olivier Létang strongly denies. He has therefore not been involved in their opening two Ligue 1 games, a 2-0 win over Angers and a 2-2 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on Friday night; Olivier Giroud leading their attack instead.
Thus, it seems likely that Fernandez-Pardo is going to force his way out of Stade Pierre-Mauroy before Tuesday's deadline. The question though is where will he be going, and should Liverpool pursue this move? Well, the Belgian international is a versatile forward, something the Reds are relinquishing by allowing Gakpo to depart.
He has made 71 appearances for Lille, of which around 46% have come on the left flank, 40% as a centre-forward and 14% operating from the right-hand side. In the Champions League two seasons ago, he started against Atlético Madrid on the left and at Bologna on the right, bagging an assist at Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, before missing los Dogues' 2-1 defeat at Anfield due to an ankle injury.
This seemingly makes Fernandez-Pardo the ideal fit. Considering Barcola's price tag and talent, he will be the undisputed starter on the left, even if that is where both Rio Ngumoha and Muñoz want to play too. The right hand side remains a massive question mark; it was the departing Gakpo who Andoni Irarola there against Nottingham Forest on Saturday! Meantime, with Hugo Ekitiké sidelined for, pretty much, the entire season, Iraola also desperatly needs an Alexander Isak deputy.
Thus, Fernandez-Pardo seemingly ticks every box, so could he soon become the fourth Belgian to play for Liverpool, after Simon Mignolet, Christian Benteke and Divock Origi?
Add us as a preferred source on Google