Barcelona move a dream for Gordon 'since he was three'

Anthony Gordon says he believed he would play for Barcelona since he was "three years of age" after joining from Newcastle United in a deal worth more than 80m euros (£69.3m).

The England forward, 25, has signed a contract with the La Liga champions until 2031 after a fee was agreed between the two clubs following advanced talks earlier this week - and amid interest from Bayern Munich.

"I was excited to play for Barca since I was three years of age," said Gordon, who spoke in Spanish during Friday's presentation at the Spotify Nou Camp.

"I wanted to speak Spanish because, as a kid, 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 due to be unveiled at 12:30 BST on Friday.

But delays with paperwork meant he had to face a wait of close to eight hours before being officially introduced.

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 fly out with the England squad to the United States on Monday for a training camp before the World Cup, which starts on 11 June.

Gordon will join compatriot Marcus Rashford at Barca, but the Spanish club are yet to trigger an option to make the 28-year-old forward's loan move from Manchester United permanent for £26m.

Gordon spent three and-a-half years with Newcastle after joining from Everton in January 2023, making 152 appearances, and was their top scorer this season with 17 goals in all competitions.

"I owe this club a lot because, when I arrived, I was quite lost both in life and in football," he told 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 strong position to command a premium for Gordon as he still had four years left to run on his contract at St James' Park.

He was left on the bench for the final four Premier League games of the campaign by head coach Eddie Howe, but fans briefly sang his name following their 2-0 defeat at Fulham on the last day.

"While we're disappointed to lose Anthony, we understand that this is a big opportunity for him," said Howe.

"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 are in line to receive 15% of the profit Newcastle make on Gordon after selling the academy graduate in a deal worth up to £45m.

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.