Emmanuel Petit has warned Anthony Gordon that he must improve his technical skills to cope with the pressure at Barcelona following his £69.3m move from Newcastle United in May.
Gordon's move to Barcelona
The England winger left St James' Park at the end of last season, with the deal secured before the transfer window officially opened. The transfer suited all parties: Newcastle needed to generate revenue for planned spending, and Gordon could focus on England's World Cup campaign without transfer speculation.
Former Barcelona, Arsenal and France midfielder Petit knows the pressures of wearing the famous shirt, having spent a season at the Nou Camp after leaving Arsenal before returning to the Premier League with Chelsea.
Petit's warning
"I like Anthony Gordon. I think he's a decent guy and a good player, but going to Barcelona, the DNA, the way they play, you have to make a huge difference, especially when you are a forward, because everything is based on the attack," Petit told Mr Gamble. "When you have Lamine Yamal on the right-hand side, the pressure is on his shoulders."
Petit added: "I still believe and I hope I'm wrong, but I still believe that he doesn't have the technical skills to play at Barcelona. He's got speed, he's fast, and he can make a big impact on the left wing. But technically there are many things he must improve, and he will have to show great character straight away because he won't get a second opportunity at Barcelona."
Petit noted that Marcus Rashford had a good season in that position but is now gone, saying: "I wish him all the best, but I think it's going to be really difficult. If he doesn't have an impact in the first few games, it will be very difficult."
Newcastle's response
Newcastle moved quickly to replace Gordon, signing Ivory Coast winger Bazoumana Toure from Hoffenheim. The squad also includes Harvey Barnes, who can play on the left, as well as Jacob Ramsey and Joe Willock, who can also occupy the role.
