Manchester City and Tottenham have entered the race for the signature of Atletico Madrid attacking target Matias Fernandez-Pardo.
Atletico Madrid have tabled a €35 million offer for LOSC Lille forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo. However, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are now considering moves to hijack the deal, according to a report from TEAMtalk.
Diego Simeone’s side have made the Belgian winger one of their major attacking targets and are waiting to see whether Lille will accept their proposal. However, Premier League interest could complicate Atletico’s plans, with both City and Tottenham having done significant work on Fernandez-Pardo.
Fernandez-Pardo has emerged as one of Ligue 1’s exciting young forwards since returning to Lille from Gent in 2024. He has featured 71 times for the French club, registering 12 goals and 11 assists, with 15 of those goal contributions arriving during the 2025/26 campaign.
His versatility is one of the main reasons behind the growing interest. Fernandez-Pardo can operate centrally but is also comfortable playing on the flanks, giving potential suitors an option who can contribute across multiple attacking positions.
Atletico are particularly attracted to that flexibility and maintain that their pursuit is not linked to Julian Alvarez’s future. Instead, they have been looking for a player capable of strengthening their attack both from the wing and through the middle.
Fernandez-Pardo is reportedly open to a move to Madrid, but Atletico may have to move quickly if they want to prevent the Premier League clubs from hijacking the deal. Lille face no financial compulsion to sell quickly, particularly with Davide Ancelotti looking to build a squad capable of challenging for honours.
Premier League duo could cause problems for Atletico Madrid
Manchester City’s interest is understandable given their need for another forward. Savinho is pushing for a move to Tottenham, with negotiations between the two clubs having dragged on for weeks. If Savinho departs, City will need to recruit another forward, and Fernandez-Pardo has already impressed their recruitment team.
Tottenham, meanwhile, have also begun exploring alternatives as their pursuit of Savinho becomes increasingly complicated. Fernandez-Pardo has emerged as one of those options, with his ability to play centrally particularly attractive to Roberto De Zerbi, who wants a new striker to compete with Dominic Solanke.
A fee below €40 million could reportedly be enough to convince Lille to sanction his departure, putting the player within reach of clubs willing to move decisively. Atletico Madrid have made the first serious move, but Manchester City and Tottenham now have the opportunity to compete for his signature.
