After losing Lewandowski, why did Barcelona rush to sign Gordon?

Written by Han Bing For 70 million plus 10 million euros, Barcelona landed England international Anthony Gordon, completing the first blockbuster deal of the summer window over a month before it opens.

Early this week, a Barcelona team headed by Deco landed in London, and the general expectation was that they were there to discuss Chelsea center-forward João Pedro as a replacement for Lewandowski. Yet, they ended up rapidly signing Newcastle United winger Gordon at a high price. By Wednesday, British media widely reported that Barcelona and Newcastle had reached a transfer agreement. On Thursday, the England international arrived in Barcelona for a medical. Before the England squad convened on Monday, Gordon had already changed clubs.

Barcelona chose to sign Gordon over triggering Rashford’s buyout clause. Gordon’s current market value is €60 million, so why did Barcelona pay a premium for him?

Rashford recorded 14 goals and 11 assists last season, making him the third-best attacking contributor in the squad after Yamal and Fermín. But Barcelona coach Hansi Flick preferred Gordon, who is younger and has a lower injury risk. Flick and Deco had been monitoring Gordon for quite some time. According to Mundo Deportivo, once Rashford’s buyout negotiations stalled, Barcelona decisively shifted all focus to Gordon.

Barcelona believe Gordon embodies the modern style of football: highly aggressive with or without the ball. He uses excellent dribbling skills to constantly create attacking space and can adapt flexibly to different tactics, playing as a winger, second striker, center-forward, or attacking midfielder. In England’s U21 national team, coach Lee Carsley used Gordon as a center-forward, and he led the team to win the 2023 U21 European Championship, earning the tournament’s best player award.

Most importantly, compared to Rashford, Gordon is a better fit for Flick’s high-pressing tactics. Early this year, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe emphasized Gordon’s strong pressing desire and excellent understanding of pressing tactics. As a forward, Gordon has received as many as 26 yellow cards and 2 red cards in 176 Premier League matches — a booking rate higher than many defenders, showing his relentless commitment to pressing. Gordon excels at leading the team’s transition between attack and defense, defending on the front foot, and dropping back to press and launch counterattacks.

Although Gordon didn't score many goals for Newcastle last season — 7 of his 17 goals were penalties — Flick believes he can become a prolific scorer under the right tactical system. In last season's Champions League match against Qarabag, Gordon became the first English player since Harry Kane in 2014 to score four goals in a single Champions League game. After the match, Gordon downplayed the achievement: "Football is a team sport; individual goals only matter when the team wins." Clearly, this team-first mentality is exactly what Flick values.

In terms of individual ability and mental attributes, Gordon is a key piece for Flick’s quest to compete for the Champions League next season, strengthening Barcelona’s weaker left flank. However, President Joan Laporta is more concerned about costs. Gordon will receive a doubled salary (€12 million gross per year). Combined with the €70 million transfer fee amortized over five years, Barcelona’s annual cost for Gordon is €26 million. In contrast, Rashford’s salary is €18 million per year. If Barcelona triggered his €30 million buyout clause amortized over three years, the annual cost would be €28 million — €2 million more than Gordon. Moreover, Rashford carries a higher injury risk and contributes less defensively under high-pressing tactics than Gordon does.

Barcelona’s ability to sign Gordon so efficiently is closely tied to Newcastle’s summer rebuild. Having missed out on European competition, Newcastle needed to cash in on key players at high prices. Sporting director Paul Wilson and manager Eddie Howe both agreed that this summer was the best time to sell Gordon. Furthermore, Newcastle intends to activate the €60 million release clause of Betis winger Ez Abde, of whom Barcelona owns 50% of the economic rights. This means the actual net cost for Barcelona in signing Gordon is likely to decrease further. From this perspective, the Gordon deal represents excellent value for Barcelona.

Of course, the €80 million total package for Gordon will not be Barcelona’s only forward signing this summer, as Lewandowski’s departure means the club still needs an out-and-out center-forward.