Lille president turns down Matias Fernandez-Pardo’s transfer request amid interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea | OneFootball

Lille striker Matias Fernandez-Pardo has handed in a transfer request (21), according to L’Equipe. The Belgium international winger, who was part of Rudi Garcia’s 2026 World Cup squad, is of interest for Premier League giants Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea as well as for Atlético de Madrid. The 21-year-old joined Les Dogues from Gant two years ago in a €10m deal.

The versatile Fernandez-Pardo logged 12 goals and 11 assists in 71 games for Lille. The 21-year-old already entertained a Lille exit last year, and his desire to move on remains strong. The player and his agent had talks with Lille president Olivier Létang, and the latter is adamant that he won’t sanction his sale. “The player is under contract until 2029, and his departure is not a topic,” the former PSG executive said. “We are counting on him, he knows that, and we have been very clear with him.”

Létang wants to keep hold of Fernandez-Pardo because he is Davide Ancelotti’s primary choice to lead Lille up front, given that Morocco’s Hamza Igamane remains sidelined after tearing his right ACL during the AFCON final and that Olivier Giroud will turn 40 in September. Lille also hope that Fernandez-Pardo’s performances in the UEFA Champions League group stage – which Lille qualified for by finishing third in Ligue 1 – will further enhance his market value.

GFFN | Bastien Cheval