Anthony Gordon reportedly traveled to Barcelona on Thursday to complete a medical examination with the Spanish champions.
Anthony Gordon has stated that he always envisioned playing for Barcelona since the age of three, following his transfer from Newcastle United in a deal exceeding 80 million euros (£69.3 million).
The 25-year-old England forward has signed a contract with the La Liga champions until 2031, after an agreement was reached between the two clubs, concluding advanced negotiations that took place earlier this week amidst reported interest from Bayern Munich.
“I’ve been excited to play for Barca since I was three years old,” Gordon remarked, addressing the audience in Spanish during Friday’s presentation at Spotify Nou Camp.
“I wanted to speak Spanish because, as a child, I believed I would play football for Barca, believe it or not. I have a physio in Newcastle, and we spoke every day, and I told him, ‘one day I’ll play for Barca, so I want to learn Spanish’.
“I found out very late [of Barcelona’s interest], but as soon as I knew Barca were a serious option, there wasn’t any question.
“Barca are the biggest club on the planet. It is stuff I dreamed [about] as a child.”
Gordon underwent a medical with the club on Thursday and was scheduled for an official unveiling at 12:30 BST on Friday.
However, delays in processing paperwork necessitated a wait of approximately eight hours before his official introduction.
Gordon added: “Very, very excited, though it was kind of hard to wait.
“I knew it would happen. I have been very calm at the hotel with my family and agents. It’s stuff I don’t understand. All my part was done, I was ready. It was stuff above me – legal things and very small details.
“I am very conscious of the history of this club and the incredible players who have worn this shirt. I’m ready for this challenge. There is a burning fire in my belly to win here.”
He will depart with the England squad on Monday for a training camp in the United States in preparation for the World Cup, scheduled to commence on June 11.
Gordon will team up with fellow countryman Marcus Rashford at Barca. However, the Spanish club is yet to exercise its option to finalize a permanent transfer for the 28-year-old forward, who is currently on loan from Manchester United, for a reported fee of £26 million.
Why Gordon for Barcelona & what does it mean for Rashford?
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Gordon arrives at Barcelona
Gordon’s stint with Newcastle spanned three and a half years, following his move from Everton in January 2023. During his time there, he made 152 appearances and emerged as their top scorer this season with 17 goals across all competitions.
“I owe this club a lot because, when I arrived, I was quite lost both in life and in football,” he stated on the club’s website.
“The club has given me a sense of belonging and a sense of identity. It’s allowed me to do what I always thought I could do. It’s put me on the biggest stage and allowed me to perform for the shirt.
“It was really important for me to leave this place in a good way because I’ve loved every single minute of being a part of Newcastle United. This is an incredible club and one that I’ll never forget. I’ll be a fan for the rest of my life.”
Newcastle were in a commanding position to demand a premium for Gordon, given that he still had four years remaining on his contract at St James’ Park.
He was an unused substitute for the final four Premier League matches of the season, as decided by head coach Eddie Howe. However, fans briefly chanted his name following their 2-0 defeat at Fulham on the final day of the season.
“While we’re disappointed to lose Anthony, we understand that this is a big opportunity for him,” Howe stated.
“He leaves with our best wishes, and I am confident that he will go on to be a success, both with Barcelona and the national team at this year’s World Cup.”
Everton is poised to receive 15% of the profit that Newcastle makes on Gordon, following the sale of the academy graduate in a deal worth up to £45 million.
Gordon scored 10 goals for Newcastle in the Champions League this season
Last summer was a turbulent one for Newcastle, particularly without an executive structure in place.
However, boss Howe believed the club would be in a position to make smarter and quicker decisions – in and out – following the appointments of sporting director Ross Wilson and chief executive David Hopkinson earlier this season.
Gordon’s situation felt the first real test.
It was clear the forward was the likeliest of Newcastle‘s key players to depart after he was left on the bench for each of the final four games of the season.
But would this turn into a situation which played out in public and dragged on like the Alexander Isak saga to Liverpool last summer? Not at all.
Progress on this particular transfer moved quickly in private.
Barcelona had a prior interest, but the club’s formal talks with Newcastle only emerged publicly on Wednesday morning. By the evening, an agreement had been reached.
It feels like a rare big-money transfer where all three parties end up being relatively satisfied.
Barcelona land a top target before the window even formally opens, while Newcastle secure their second biggest ever transfer fee, and Gordon gets a dream move.
Newcastle ideally do not want to lose key players like Gordon, but the club simply have to get better at becoming more strategic traders and recognising when is the right time to sell.
Given the impressive Champions League campaign Gordon enjoyed, it felt like the opportune moment.
Newcastle are still likely to do further trading this summer as part of an extensive rebuild, but this first key sale feels significant in enabling the club to reinvest.
Factoring in potential departures, they could end up being in the market for a goalkeeper, full-back, midfielder and multiple forwards this summer.
Newcastle did not quite get it right when they brought in a similar number of players last year after losing out on some ambitious top targets.
So this window has to be different if the club are to bounce back following a disappointing 12th-placed finish in the Premier League.
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