How Barcelona could line up with Anthony Gordon as England star moves closer to Camp Nou move

Barcelona look set to make Anthony Gordon their first signing of the summer transfer window after making swift progress in their efforts to sign the England international.

Just days ago, a move to Bayern Munich or Liverpool seemed the most likely outcome for the Newcastle United star, but he is now on course to swap St James’ Park for the iconic Camp Nou.

The Newcastle man seemingly did enough to impress Barcelona's recruitment team with his 17 goals and five assists in 46 competitive appearances during the 2025-26 season.

Gordon quickly reached an agreement with the Blaugrana over personal terms, paving the way for the two clubs to enter negotiations over the details of the transfer.

Barcelona have since agreed a £70m deal with Newcastle, who are set to sanction the forward's departure three-and-a-half years after signing him from Everton.

Gordon is now set to undergo a medical this week before he becomes the newest member of Hansi Flick's squad at Barcelona.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Barcelona could line up with Gordon, considering a couple of different positions he could play at Camp Nou.

Gordon in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 without Raphinha

Gordon has primarily played as a left winger throughout his career. As it stands, Gordon could be seen as a direct replacement for his England teammate Marcus Rashford, who has just completed a successful loan spell at Camp Nou.

Barcelona, who are reluctant to pay the buy option agreed with Manchester United, could still look to bring Rashford back to Camp Nou, but Gordon’s imminent signing certainly reduces their need for the 28-year-old.

Gordon may have his work cut out to match Rashford's return of 14 goals and 11 assists, but he should be able to contribute more than just possession, given his reputation as a forward who is willing to press onto the centre-backs or full-backs.

That arguably makes him a better fit for Flick's high intensity and aggressive approach that has made Barcelona one of the best teams to watch in Europe in recent years.

If he plays instead of Raphinha, Gordon would either feature on the left of the line of attack behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1 or on the left of a front three in a 4-3-3.

Either way, Gordon would offer support to the central striker, which would be Ferran Torres, based on Barcelona's current squad.

However, there is every chance a new number nine could be brought in to fill the void created by Robert Lewandowski's departure.

Gordon would also be on the opposite flank to Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal, meaning he may have to accept the majority of the attacks going down the right. But that could also present an opportunity for Gordon, who will be able to make far post runs to attack passes or crosses from Yamal’s wing.

Gordon joins Raphinha in attack

There is a possibility that Flick may see a scenario in which he could play Yamal, Raphinha and Gordon all in the same starting XI.

While Raphinha has generally produced his form from the left, he could move over to the number 10 position to allow Gordon to operate out wide.

The downside of this would mean that one of Barcelona's natural number 10s, Dani Olmo and Fermin Lopez, would have to drop down to the bench.

In reality, it is difficult to see Flick opting for this scenario, and instead, he would most likely choose between Raphinha and Gordon for the left-wing role.

With that in mind, there is a risk that Gordon may have to settle for a role off the bench, especially in the first few months of his Barcelona career.

Gordon in a 4-2-3-1 as the centre-forward

Barcelona continue to be linked with Julian Alvarez in their efforts to replace Lewandowski, but Atletico Madrid's asking price is likely to be a major stumbling block.

They have also been linked with Chelsea's Joao Pedro and Bayern Munich's Harry Kane, but a move for either player is unlikely to come to fruition.

While they will want to sign a prolific number nine, Barcelona are set to gain a safety net of a new backup centre-forward in Gordon.

The 25-year-old was used through the middle by Eddie Howe on occasions during the 2025-26 campaign, and that may be something Barcelona could look to implement at times next season.

The possibility of Yamal and Raphinha playing either side of Gordon would certainly make a dynamic forward line that would be willing to run in behind and stretch the opposition defence.

Such a scenario would create gaps in between the lines for a technically gifted midfielder like Pedri or a number 10 to enjoy.

However, Gordon is not necessarily known for his prolific nature in front of goal, so this strategy is likely to be an alternative rather than plan A.