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News that Barcelona have muscled in on the signing of Anthony Gordon and already appear close to sealing any deal might well have come as quite a shock to football fans.
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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. 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.
