Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool chose not to rival Barcelona in their pursuit of Anthony Gordon when the opportunity arose for him to leave Newcastle United. Former Magpies star Chris Waddle explained to GOAL why the England international opted for a move to Catalonia rather than north London. The €80 million (£69m/$92m) transfer has seen Gordon depart England to join the reigning La Liga champions.

Barcelona have yet to exercise their £26 million purchase option on Marcus Rashford, who spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Camp Nou. Despite Rashford contributing 14 goals during his spell, the club decided to channel their resources towards securing the pace and creativity of the versatile Gordon, who is capable of operating both on the left wing and as a false nine.

The 25-year-old, a product of Everton’s academy, is embracing a new chapter in his career. There had been speculation linking him with his boyhood club Liverpool, the team he supported growing up, while newly crowned Premier League champions Arsenal were also reported to be interested. Mikel Arteta was believed to view Gordon as a player who could fit seamlessly into his setup, particularly if Gabriel Martinelli or Leandro Trossard were to move on.

However, no move materialised for the England winger, who decided to take on the challenge of playing abroad. When asked if he was surprised that English clubs didn’t make a stronger effort to compete with Barcelona’s offer, Newcastle legend Chris Waddle, speaking in association with NewBettingSites.uk, told GOAL: “I think he was linked with Arsenal, probably for that left-hand side because they’ve not really had anyone locked into that position. Martinelli and whoever else have rotated there, but no one has made that shirt their own. Saka has obviously done that on the right.”

“Arsenal were probably looking for a cheaper alternative, thinking, ‘we’re not paying 80, 70, or 60 million’. They were aiming for a much lower figure, I believe.”

“The move to Barcelona came somewhat unexpectedly. Perhaps they were impressed when he played against them twice, maybe they saw something that caught their eye. With [Lamine] Yamal on one flank and Anthony Gordon on the other, it looks quite exciting—but time will tell.”

“He performed very well at Newcastle. For me, his best games actually came when he played as a number nine. His pace and movement suited Newcastle’s front-foot style. Barcelona play in a similar way, though the heat there can affect the tempo. Maybe they’ve thought they can use him as a nine, especially since [Robert] Lewandowski has been released. They don’t have many options in that area.”

“They’ve been linked with [Julian] Alvarez at Atletico Madrid, who’s a very good player. But perhaps they believe that signing Gordon gives them flexibility—he could play as a nine or an eleven. It might turn out to be a smart piece of business by Barca.”

Gordon’s value will ultimately be judged by his performances alongside Yamal and his new Barcelona teammates. The England star appears to possess all the qualities needed to thrive under the intense spotlight at Camp Nou.

If he succeeds, Arsenal and Liverpool may later regret not pushing harder to keep the England international—currently representing his country at the 2026 World Cup—in the Premier League, where he first proved his ability to compete among the elite.