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Bad news for Barnes: How Newcastle signed their new Anthony Gordon

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Published Sep 4, 2026, 7:10 AM GMT+1

Angus is an experienced football writer at Football FanCast, specialising in analytical reporting, opinion and feature writing, with particular expertise in Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

A journalist since graduating from Southampton Solent University in 2022, Angus has built extensive experience across the football media industry. Before joining Football FanCast, he led VAVEL's Brighton & Hove Albion department, developing experience in club-specific reporting and editorial leadership.

Angus joined Football FanCast through Snack Media's (now Valnet) academy and has since become one of the site's longest-serving writers, progressing into the Opinions and Features team. During his time with Football FanCast, he has produced thousands of articles across a broad range of Premier League clubs and stories.

His work combines analytical reporting, informed opinion and detailed feature writing, with a particular focus on understanding the factors behind performances, transfers and major developments rather than simply reporting the headline. His strongest areas of expertise are Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, although his extensive Premier League coverage has given him a broad understanding of the English top flight.

Angus brings readers experienced, research-led football analysis and considered opinion, using his years of covering the Premier League to provide context, assess players and transfers, and explain what the latest developments mean for clubs and their ambitions.

Newcastle United are in a weird moment. What exactly is the objective in the Premier League this season? Top-four? Top-half? Simply survive and hope to challenge for silverware in the Carabao Cup or FA Cup?

Perhaps Newcastle's goal for the year is more intangible and abstract. After so many setbacks and sweeping changes which might have sent another outfit in a tail-spin, new manager Matthias Jaissle will instead look to create something which could grow into a lasting project over the course of the 2026/27 campaign.

Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle

It's been a strong, and somewhat surprising, start to the term for the Magpies, who were well worth their 2-2 draw against Liverpool at St. James' Park, and then emphatic in beating Tottenham and Sandro Tonali 2-0 in north London.

However, maintaining form following so many sales will be difficult. Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes' exits have damaged the engine room, but Anthony Gordon now plays for Barcelona in a bruising blow to the club's cutting edge in attack.

Why Anthony Gordon will be such a big miss at Newcastle

Gordon left Newcastle and signed for Barcelona in a £69m deal at the start of June. He had the Toon persuasion's blessing; it was a good deal, and he had ebbed and flowed over the past two seasons.

Anthony Gordon's Premier League Form

Stats (* per 90)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)	34 (28)	26 (24)
Goals + Assists	6 + 5	6 + 2
Touches*	41.2	36.0
Shots (on target)*	1.7 (0.6)	1.8 (0.8)
Accurate passes*	19.3 (81%)	16.3 (82%)
Big chances created	6	5
Key passes*	1.5	1.0
Succ. dribbles*	1.1	1.3
Ball recoveries*	2.9	2.2
Tackles + interceptions*	1.1	0.8
Duels won*	4.4	3.8

But Gordon was a talisman on Tyneside, especially last year, stepping up as the main man in offence following Alexander Isak's record-breaking sale to Liverpool.

On the left flank, Newcastle do have Harvey Barnes, with Bazoumana Toure, 20, also recruited from Hoffenheim in Germany this summer.

Barnes knows how to score goals with a rhythmic beat, but the 28-year-old is limited in regard to his overall skillset, and he may now be sweating over his chances of playing a major role under Jaissle this term.

Toure is young, but he looks sharp and scored against West Bromwich Albion in the Carabao Cup last month. Moreover, Newcastle have pulled off another signing which could further jeopardise Barnes' hopes of starting week in and week out.

Why Newcastle's new Gordon will keep Barnes out of the team

Three Lions winger Gordon is fact-paced and tenacious against opponents. He truly believes he has what it takes to wrong-foot any defender in his path, and that's a hard mindset to replace.

But Jaissle will be more than content with the addition of Matias Fernandez-Pardo from LOSC Lille in France. The Belgium international joined on deadline day for £51m.

Fernandez-Pardo, aged 21, scored eight goals and provided five assists in Ligue 1 last season, but his underlying numbers speak toward his elite potential.

He is tall and powerful, endowed with blistering speed. Moreover, the Belgian operates on the left wing and as a No. 9, marking him as someone who can challenge Yoane Wissa and apply a positional methodology that worked so well for Gordon over the years.

Will this come at Barnes' expense? Well, it just might. The former Leicester City winger is already up against it in fighting for prominence against the young and uncontainable Toure, and given Wissa's early-season form, Jaissle might not want to return the DR Congo striker to the bench just now.

Fernandez-Pardo is going to expect minutes, and with that in mind, there's every chance that Barnes could be demoted to a bit part role.

After all, he only started 19 Premier League games last term.

Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes in action with AFC Bournemouth's Alex Scott

He's not useless. Barnes hasn't enjoyed a prolific start to the season, but he has started both of Newcastle's opening fixtures, and does appear to be trying to get more involved that is usual, winning seven duels across his first two games and combining seamlessly with Lewis Hall down the left.

But you get the sense both Toure and Fernandez-Pardo would add even more impetus; especially the latter, who dribbles and creates relentlessly while also boasting a natural instinct in front of goal.

Newcastle have been put through the wringer this summer, but now, they are out the other end. There is a long way to go, but Jaissle has quickly shown that he has the charisma, confidence and tactical understanding to fire the Toon back into the ascendancy.

Signing Fernandez-Pardo at the end of the window ensured that. This is a potential superstar, and he could prove to outstrip both Gordon and Barnes down the line.

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