Newcastle United have completed a £51m move for Lille winger Matias Fernandez-Pardo, and according to Sky Sports, those who know him best believe the Magpies have landed a real talent.
Speaking to the outlet, one of the Belgian forward's former coaches drew comparisons to Manchester City's Jeremy Doku, describing Fernandez-Pardo as "very explosive, very fast" with power to match his pace. It's the kind of profile that suggests Eddie Howe has added a genuine attacking outlet capable of taking on defenders and stretching play out wide.
The comparison to Doku won't be lost on Newcastle fans, given how difficult the City winger has proven for Premier League defences to handle. If Fernandez-Pardo can bring similar explosiveness to St James' Park, it represents a significant statement of intent from the club as they continue building a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.
Full details of what makes the youngster tick, according to those who've coached him, are explored further in Sky Sports' report.