Anthony Gordon finally completed his move to Barcelona from Newcastle United for a fee of €70 million (£60.7 million) plus €10 million in add-ons, signing a five-year contract worth around £300,000 per week. The announcement was delayed by several hours due to paperwork issues, with the official confirmation coming at 9.17pm local time, hours later than initially expected.
Gordon arrived at the Camp Nou offices in a grey car, but the media and fans had to wait as the deal faced minor legal hurdles. The winger remained calm throughout, stating he knew the transfer would happen. He finally appeared for his presentation at 9.23pm, changing rooms from the Sala Paris after the original press room had been used for a futsal conference.
Speaking in a mix of English and Spanish, Gordon expressed his excitement and commitment. '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 playing for them had been his dream since childhood.
Gordon revealed he had learned Spanish from his physio, with whom he often spoke about his ambition to play for Barcelona. He also praised manager Hansi Flick and teammates like Lamine Yamal, recalling how Barcelona's performance against Newcastle in the Champions League had impressed him. 'At St James' Park we couldn't touch the ball,' he said.
The 23-year-old posed with a shirt bearing '2031' – the end of his contract – and the slogan 'Catch me if you can'. He concluded by promising to conduct his next press conference entirely in Spanish, before departing at 9.38pm, bringing the long day to a close.
