Barcelona may be questioning their €80 million investment in Anthony Gordon after the forward’s underwhelming performances for England at the 2026 World Cup. The 25-year-old signed with the Catalan club in May, with Barcelona acting quickly to secure his services amidst interest from Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Liverpool, fearing his value would increase with a strong showing in the tournament.
However, Gordon has so far failed to make a significant impact, struggling to find form in both of England’s matches thus far, including a 0-0 draw against Ghana. This will come as no surprise to many Newcastle United supporters, who witnessed similar inconsistencies from the player during his time at St. James’ Park. While Gordon’s work rate is highly valued, limitations in his technical ability are becoming increasingly apparent.
Barcelona’s decision to pursue Gordon appears even more questionable in light of Marcus Rashford’s recent form. Rashford, who was available for less than half the price, made a goalscoring impact off the bench against Croatia, highlighting the potential value Barcelona may have missed out on. The “World Cup tax” can sometimes backfire, and it seems Barcelona may have acted prematurely on a player who requires substantial development.
Last season, Gordon scored a career-high 17 goals in all competitions for Newcastle, but a significant portion of those came from the penalty spot – nine in total – with only three goals scored from open play in the Premier League. He also provided just four assists throughout the campaign. His form has been inconsistent, with a similarly polarizing season preceding Newcastle’s trophy-winning campaign. While he provided ten assists and eleven goals in the 2023/24 season, his performances have declined since.
It is worth noting that Gordon had limited playing time leading up to the World Cup, appearing for only 71 minutes since the end of March, potentially impacting his match sharpness. Nevertheless, with two seasons of inconsistent performances at Newcastle, Barcelona face a risk that Gordon will struggle to justify his hefty price tag. The club is placing its faith in manager Hansi Flick to unlock Gordon’s potential in a more elite environment, but encouraging signs are needed to avoid a confidence crisis for their marquee signing.
