In a comparatively quick period of time, Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has grow to be a central determine within the switch plans of two of European soccer’s heavyweights.
Ignored of the final six video games of a disappointing league season for a Newcastle facet that impressed en path to the final 16 of this season’s Champions League earlier than being dumped out by Barcelona, Gordon’s departure has lengthy appeared an inevitability, with Bayern Munich for some time showing his more than likely vacation spot.
Nevertheless, it’s Barca who now look to be in pole place to safe his companies, with experiences rising on Wednesday that they’re in superior talks with Newcastle and have reached an settlement on private phrases with the England winger.
Barca are reported to have submitted a proposal within the area of £70m for Gordon’s companies, with their curiosity within the 25-year-old coming as they continue to be in negotiations with Manchester United over Marcus Rashford.
The Blaugrana have an choice to make Rashford’s mortgage transfer a everlasting one for a price of €35m (£30m) after a powerful first season in Catalonia. They haven’t taken up that possibility, and are reportedly eager to accumulate him for a cheaper price.
So why are Barca pushing to usher in Gordon in for a way more expensive price?
Gordon’s manufacturing not fairly what it appears
Gordon’s numbers from this season are, on the floor, very spectacular.
He scored 17 targets in all competitions in 2025-26 whereas offering 5 assists. Ten of these targets got here within the Champions League — heading into Saturday’s remaining between holders Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal, solely Kylian Mbappe (15) and Harry Kane (14) have scored extra — together with one within the first of three conferences between Newcastle and Barca.
Gordon possesses nice tempo, could be very harmful reducing onto his proper foot and has an innate capacity for drawing contact and successful penalties. All of these qualities will attraction to Barca, as will a defensive work charge that could be a prerequisite for enjoying for an Eddie Howe facet, although it was missing amongst many within the Newcastle staff by the tip of a poor marketing campaign.
But it can’t be ignored that a lot of his output this season got here from the penalty spot.
9 of his targets in 2025-26 had been penalties, together with his tally of eight non-penalty targets comfortably eclipsed by that of Rashford.
None of Rashford’s 14 targets got here from the spot, whereas his output by way of assists this season was additionally superior to that Gordon, as he laid on 11 for his Barca team-mates.
Rashford wrote his title in Barca folklore with a surprising free-kick within the 2-0 Clasico win over Actual Madrid that clinched the LaLiga title.
After such a marketing campaign, it might appear a curious transfer by Barca to discover signing a dearer participant who operates in the identical position off the left wing.
But it appears Barca’s pursuit of Gordon is just not a rejection of the chance to increase Rashford’s keep.
Barcelona not giving up on Rashford
On the contrary, Spanish football expert Guillem Balague reported that Barca additionally intend to attempt to hold Rashford.
In earlier years, considering such an concept would have been extraordinarily fanciful for a membership working below tight monetary constraints.
Certainly, Barca’s actions within the switch market have been hindered by limitations which have allowed them to solely make investments 60 per cent of a departing participant’s wage or round 20 per cent of switch earnings into new operations.
Nevertheless, the membership seem set to return to LaLiga’s 1:1 rule, permitting them to reinvest 100 per cent of switch earnings and wage financial savings into enhancing the squad.
Balague experiences that Barca have the funds obtainable for 2 or three vital transfers, with a centre-back and centre-forward additionally on the agenda alongside a deal for Gordon.
Financially, with some departures alongside the anticipated exit of Robert Lewandowski, Barca might be able to make a transfer for Gordon work.
Nonetheless, given their clear want on the coronary heart of their assault and their plentiful choices on the flanks, Barca’s deal with signing each Gordon and Rashford seems to be a little bit misguided.
An costly Barcelona insurance coverage coverage
Barca have lengthy since been linked with a transfer for Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez. Nevertheless, with each PSG and Arsenal credited with an curiosity within the Argentina ahead, that deal seems to be much more tough.
Centre-forwards have grow to be more and more tough to seek out in trendy soccer and, ought to they miss out on Alvarez, there is no such thing as a assure Barca will be capable to supply a passable various alternative for Lewandowski.
As such, urgent to signal each Gordon and Rashford might symbolize an costly insurance coverage coverage for Barca.
A transfer for Gordon is clearly primarily tied to Barca reinforcing their large areas. Between Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and the likes of Fermin Lopez, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres, who can all function on the flanks, Barca are very well-stocked out large.
But Raphinha, who’s coming off an injury-hindered season, turns 30 is December and has solely two years left on his deal, whereas Olmo and Fermin, who’s out of the World Cup with a damaged bone in his foot, are at their finest when deployed by means of the center.
It’s, subsequently, not too tough for Barca to justify strikes for Gordon and Rashford, particularly when each can function as a central striker.
Gordon spent a lot of this season taking part in by means of the center for Newcastle as they struggled to discover a answer up entrance within the wake of Alexander Isak’s departure. With the time and house he would get in LaLiga, it’s simple to make the case that he would thrive in such a job for Barca.
Barca will, in fact, hope they’ll discover a central striker to reduce the necessity for Gordon or Rashford to function in such a capability, however their versatility solely will increase their attract.
There isn’t any certainty Barca will be capable to attain a compromise with United on a distinct price to the choice they’ve on Rashford.
An deadlock would beg the unique query. Why Gordon at £70m (or extra if Newcastle get their want) and never Rashford at £30m?
The perfect rationalization could be the easiest one. Gordon doesn’t flip 26 till February, Rashford is 29 in October. It’s not a large hole in age, however it’s a big sufficient one for Barca to have the ability to make the argument that, if it comes right down to Gordon over Rashford, they’re signing the participant with far more room to develop.
Barca’s supreme world of signing each and bringing in a centre-forward could seem optimistic within the excessive. However, with their seemingly loosening monetary constraints, it might be no shock to see Barca make the unlikely a actuality. With the scale of the price for Gordon, there can be sceptics no matter the way it shakes out, however few golf equipment in world soccer are higher set as much as show that there’s actually technique in what many may even see as insanity.
