Anthony Gordon has boarded a private jet bound for Barcelona to undergo a medical and complete his £70 million move from Newcastle United, ending a transfer race that saw the England winger choose the LaLiga champions over Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
Gordon departed Newcastle International Airport at 11.10am on Thursday and is expected to land in Spain early afternoon, with the medical scheduled for later in the day, according to the Daily Mail. Barcelona and Newcastle have agreed an up-front fee of £70 million plus bonuses, with the deal also including a future sell-on percentage for the Magpies. Personal terms are not expected to present any obstacle, with Gordon set to sign a long-term contract at the Camp Nou.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed Barcelona’s bid had been accepted, with the total package potentially rising to around £80 million including add-ons. Barcelona sporting director Deco met with Gordon’s representatives on Monday, and the deal moved with remarkable speed from that point — with the agreement finalised and announced by Wednesday evening.
Bayern Munich had been the frontrunners for much of the pursuit, with the framework of personal terms between Gordon and the Bundesliga club having been in place for several weeks. However, the German side refused to exceed their £60 million valuation of the winger, allowing Barcelona to swoop in and seal the deal. Liverpool had also been monitoring the situation closely but stepped aside once Barcelona accelerated their approach.
Gordon finished the season as Newcastle’s top scorer, with 17 goals — ten of which came in the Champions League — before he stopped featuring in the final six games of the campaign. Manager Eddie Howe acknowledged that uncertainty over his future was the reason behind his exclusion from the squad in the closing weeks of the season.
The financial implications for Everton are significant. The Merseyside club sold Gordon to Newcastle in January 2023 for £45 million and retain a 15 per cent sell-on clause on any profit from a subsequent sale. That clause will now generate a substantial sum for Everton from the Barcelona deal.
Gordon’s arrival at the Camp Nou raises fresh questions about the future of Marcus Rashford, currently on loan at Barcelona from Manchester United. The Spanish giants still intend to hold discussions with United about Rashford this week, though their objective is to secure another loan rather than a permanent deal. Barcelona have until 15 June to trigger a clause to buy Rashford permanently for £26 million. The decision to spend a far larger sum on Gordon despite their financial constraints has raised eyebrows, given that Rashford has impressed during his loan spell.
Barcelona, who retained the LaLiga title under Hansi Flick this season, are targeting Champions League glory next campaign — and Gordon’s pace, directness and proven goal-scoring record are seen as the qualities Flick wants to add to his attacking options.
