Deal with La Liga champions progressing at speed and fee could increase through appearance-related clauses.
Barcelona are closing in on the €80m (£70m) signing of Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon in the first major move of this summer’s transfer window.
The England international is the subject of a mammoth bid from the Spanish champions and while the deal is not completely agreed yet, it is progressing at speed before the World Cup.
Barcelona’s bid could increase through various instalments and appearance-related clauses. Gordon could fly out for a medical later this week should talks continue to advance.
The winger has also been a target for Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich and his situation is being watched by Liverpool as they look to sign a winger following Mohamed Salah’s Anfield departure.
Sources expect a deal to move quickly now the Premier League season has finished, with Eddie Howe, the Newcastle manager, planning for life without Gordon and interested clubs looking to lay the groundwork for a deal before the World Cup starts next month.
Barcelona have ramped up talks today and are looking to sign a left winger this summer, while they also have a £26m option on Marcus Rashford as part of his loan from Manchester United last season.
While the price for Rashford, 28, is modest in the current market, they have also looked at other options as they look to build on their second successive Liga title win under Hansi Flick. Gordon has emerged as a target after Bayern moved early for him, when talks over a deal worth more than £55m first started.
Liverpool were offered Gordon in 2024 but a move never materialised. Gareth Southgate, the former England manager, picked him for the European Championship but his only appearance came in a goalless draw with Slovenia, when he came on in the 89th minute.
Yan Diomande, the RB Leipzig winger, is a confirmed target for Liverpool, although they face intense competition for the 19-year-old, who is also embroiled in a dispute over his representation.
Gordon will travel with Thomas Tuchel’s England squad to Florida on Monday for a pre-World Cup camp in West Palm Beach where players will acclimatise to the hot conditions of the tournament.
He did not start in the final six games of the season as Howe expected him to leave and hence looked to the future. After initially missing games with a “slight hip injury” Gordon returned to the squad and was an unused substitute against Brighton, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and Fulham.
Howe said: “When you get to this stage of the season, part of what we will be doing [is] looking to next year. So, yeah [there are doubts about Gordon’s future]. Anthony’s just come back from injury. The team has played well in his absence and [he’s not playing] with a partial view to the future, yes.”
Newcastle have enjoyed success in the foreign market with Bruno Guimarães and Alexander Isak coming to St James’ Park and increasing their value. Guimarães signed a five-year deal at St James’ Park in 2023 while Isak left for Liverpool for a British record £125m fee last summer.
Gordon is contracted to Newcastle until 2030.