Chosen over Rashford, Gordon proves his worth at Barcelona

This summer Anthony Gordon became only the second English player to join Barcelona on a permanent deal, following Gary Lineker in 1986. The move drew scrutiny, given his relatively modest Premier League numbers of six goals and two assists in 26 appearances, as Newcastle finished 12th in the table.

His Champions League record told a different story, however. Gordon scored 10 goals in 12 appearances last season, trailing only Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane among the competition's top scorers. In March, Newcastle travelled to Barcelona for a last-16 tie, losing 7-2 on the night and 8-3 on aggregate, but the trip gave Gordon a taste of what playing at the Nou Camp would feel like.

Asked why the club chose Gordon over Marcus Rashford, sporting director Deco said Barcelona's style of play was more closely aligned with Gordon's, and that it suited what head coach Hansi Flick wanted.

Settling in fast

Gordon has said he already feels at home, praising the city and his new team-mates for making him welcome. Playing mainly on the left, he has added a new attacking dimension for Flick, using his pace to stretch defences and his movement to create chances for team-mates, notably alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

In his league debut against Elche, Gordon set up two goals within four minutes, including one where he was through one-on-one with the goalkeeper but chose to square the ball for Fermin Lopez rather than shoot himself. Flick pointed to this as evidence of Gordon's team-first mentality, even though he is still searching for his first goal.

Barcelona have made their most prolific start to a season since Flick took over in May 2024, scoring 22 goals and conceding just three in their first five matches, with Raphinha and Lamine Yamal leading the scoring. Gordon's pressing and off-the-ball movement have fitted seamlessly into that system, shifting the conversation from whether he belongs at Barcelona to how important he might become.