Though talks of the former Everton man leaving Newcastle have been rife for some time now, the Catalan giants have never really been in the picture, with Liverpool long touted as potential new employers, and even Bayern Munich credited with more than just a passing interest in the England international.
Fee agreed with Newcastle
Not only have Barca agreed a fee with the Magpies and personal terms with the player, but it's believed that Gordon will fly into Barcelona on Thursday afternoon for a medical and to put pen to paper.
It would seem to be the swiftest of conclusions to this particular transfer story on the face of it, though pictures of Hansi Flick and Gordon deep in conversation after the Champions League encounter between the two teams earlier in the season now take on a different significance.
With the England man generally playing in a wide left position, one might question the logic of such a hire, given that the Blaugranes already have Raphinha as their first choice there and Marcus Rashford - assuming Gordon's signing doesn't affect his international colleague - as backup.
It's actually worth dwelling on the notion of whether Flick actually sees Gordon in that position at all. After all, his versatility has seen him stationed on the right or more centrally for Newcastle, in roles that he can play with equal aplomb.
Could Gordon play as a central striker?
Lest we forget that Robert Lewandowski has already departed, and it's entirely possible that Barca try and move Ferran Torres on this summer, given that he only has one season left on his current deal.
That would leave the club without a recognised centre-forward, and even if they were to somehow land Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid, the Catalans would still need a decent backup striker.
So, why Anthony Gordon?
In what has been an underperforming Newcastle squad in 2025/26, he's been head and shoulders above his teammates in terms of quality, application and output.
17 goals and five assists in all competitions, including 10 goals in the Champions League, meant he ended the campaign as the Magpies' top scorer.
More than just goals
His relentless work ethic and direct running style, which have clearly impressed Thomas Tuchel at the international level too, are also qualities that mark him out amongst his contemporaries.
And then there is his unbelievable speed both with and without the ball, which is a clear asset both when pressing the opposition or when needing to win the ball back.
Only Harvey Barnes made more than Gordon's 10 fast breaks in 25/26, whilst the latter's 62.12% shot accuracy can't be bettered.
Barnes only slightly edges Gordon's 41 shots on target (the former has 44), and the same two players are in the gold and silver medal positions when it comes to total shots across the campaign (105 for Barnes, 87 for Gordon).
16 big chances scored by Gordon, with a 51.61% conversion rate, are both the best in the entire Newcastle squad, too, as are his 12 total shots taken from outside the box.
His 81.8% pass completion isn't the best in the Newcastle squad, nor is it the worst, but with many Barcelona players regularly posting stats for this particular metric in the mid-to-upper 90s, it's clear that this area needs some work from the 25-year-old.
Though it isn't known if he would be considered a winger in the traditional sense at Barca, a more inverted winger, or indeed a central striker, it's still worth understanding that his crossing abilities are also out of the top drawer.
A 24.44% completion rate in 25/26 was only topped by Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.
A stated desire to get to the very top
As an all-rounder, then, Gordon's skill set, allied to his stated desire to be successful at the very top level of the game, makes this a sensible opportunity for the Catalans.
Whether the player is ultimately successful during his time in Barcelona will only be known in the future, though the club can at least be assured that he will give absolutely everything for the shirt.
If it doesn't work out, they haven't broken the bank and will almost certainly be able to get back the majority of their spend if needed.
