Anthony Gordon finally completed his move to Barcelona from Newcastle United for a fee of €70m (£60.7m) plus €10m in variables, signing a five-year contract worth approximately £300,000 per week. The 23-year-old winger's unveiling was delayed by over eight hours due to unspecified legal issues, with the official announcement coming at 9.17pm before he appeared at 9.23pm in the Sala Paris press room.
Speaking in a mix of English and Spanish, Gordon expressed his excitement about joining the club he has supported since childhood. 'There is a burning fire in my belly to win here,' he said. 'I bring my intensity, work rate, technical ability. I like to score goals, assist and help the team win games.' He described Barcelona as 'the biggest club on the planet' and said the move was a dream come true.
Gordon revealed that he had been learning Spanish in anticipation of the transfer, having told his physio he would one day play for Barcelona. He also recalled facing the Catalan side in the Champions League with Newcastle, saying, 'At St James' Park we couldn't touch the ball. Frenkie de Jong and Pedri ruined our plans.'
The England international posed with a shirt bearing the number 2031, the end of his contract, and the slogan 'Catch me if you can.' He concluded by saying, 'Hopefully I can do it all in Spanish next time, thanks.'
