Barca agree £69m-plus deal with Newcastle for Gordon

Barcelona have agreed a deal worth more than £69m with Newcastle United for England forward Anthony Gordon.

BBC Sport previously reported the clubs were in advanced talks as they looked to agree a fee.

These had been described as positive, and a deal has now been struck worth in excess of 80m euros (£69.3m).

Gordon will now finalise the formalities of his move before he flies out with his England team-mates to the United States for a training camp before the World Cup.

Bayern Munich also held formal discussions with Newcastle, but there was a valuation gap between the two clubs, and it was Barca who ultimately made an acceptable bid.

Newcastle chief executive David Hopkinson made it clear in March that they would only sell players on “our terms”.

The club were in a strong position to command a premium for Gordon, whose contract does not expire until 2030.

Newcastle need to trade to rebuild this summer, particularly after a disappointing 12th-placed finish in the Premier League.

This deal will enable the Magpies to reinvest in the transfer market, even after accounting for Everton‘s sell-on clause.

Everton are in line to receive 15% of any profit Newcastle make on Gordon after selling the academy graduate in a deal worth up to £45m in 2023.

Gordon always felt the likeliest of Newcastle‘s key players to depart, and the club’s top scorer was even left on the bench for the final four games of the campaign because head coach Eddie Howe had an eye on the future.

Supporters in the away end briefly sang Gordon’s name following the 2-0 defeat at Fulham on the final day in what proved a farewell.

Analysis – a shift in approach after Isak saga

By Ciaran Kelly, Newcastle United reporter

Newcastle are set to lose their top scorer for the second summer running.

So, have lessons been learned from the damaging Alexander Isak saga?

Newcastle initially held firm after Isak pushed to join Liverpool but the club ultimately buckled and sold the striker for a British record £125m on deadline day.

In contrast to last summer- when Newcastle operated without an executive structure – the club now have a chief executive, Hopkinson, and sporting director, Ross Wilson, firmly in place.

The absence of a sporting director in particular was felt when it came to handling the Isak situation and dealing with agents.

There has since been a shift in tone and approach.

Former chief executive Darren Eales previously said it would be “crazy” for Newcastle to sell their best players but Hopkinson has struck a slightly different note.

The Canadian said last March the club would look to “maximise the opportunity” and extract the best possible price if individuals were to move on this summer.

So, rather than Newcastle looking over their shoulder, the sale of Gordon has been viewed as a chance to secure a substantial sum to reinvest and refresh a floundering side.

In truth, it has felt like the club have been preparing for Gordon’s potential departure for a while now.

Although Gordon has continued to train with his team-mates – his attitude has been praised by head coach Howe – he had to make do with a place on the bench in recent weeks.

Youngsters Sean Neave and Alex Murphy even came on ahead of the unused substitute against Fulham on the final day, which was telling.

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)