Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has commented on the club’s links to £131million World Champion Enzo Fernandez.

What’s the word? 

That is according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who has relayed Howe’s comments via Twitter. 

The Italian super-journalist posted this on his personal page: “Newcastle manager Howe on Enzo Fernández: ‘I’m aware of Enzo and I know him. But I think the transfer fee to sign him might be quite lumpy.’

‘Shearer said he’d be good for us? I’m sorry Alan, I was on the other channel’.”

Coming of age

After a stellar World Cup tournament that saw him win the whole thing aged just 21 – alongside Argentine icon Lionel Messi – Fernandez is now one of the most sought-after stars in the World footballing landscape.

Entrusted with wearing the famous number 13 shirt that Eusebio wore at Benfica, the scene was already set for Fernandez.

And in the world-beating narrative, he has stuck to every word of the script so far, pulling the strings for Roger Schmidt’s side emphatically, with an average of 96.4 accurate passes with around 11 accurate long balls per game – a real statement of on the ball quality from the young maestro. 

Operating as a single pivot throughout the tournament in Lionel Scaloni’s abundance of systems which alternated by the game, it was a real “coming of age” tournament for the star, who is enduring a breakout year. 

There is no doubt that the 21-year-old star would shine on Tyneside, but Howe is correct when he says “the fee to sign him might be quite lumpy.”