Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen appears increasingly unlikely to secure a move to Barcelona this summer after the Spanish champions reportedly agreed a deal to sign Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon.
Reports indicate Barcelona have reached a full agreement worth €80m for the England international, with the package said to include a guaranteed €70m fee and a further €10m in add-ons.
Osimhen had been heavily linked with a switch to Camp Nou in recent months as Barcelona looked to strengthen their attack and prepare for the expected departure of veteran forward Robert Lewandowski at the end of the season.
The Galatasaray striker attracted widespread attention following another prolific campaign, with clubs from across Europe and Saudi Arabia reportedly monitoring his situation. Barcelona sporting director Deco was believed to be an admirer of the Nigeria international, while manager Hansi Flick was also thought to be keen on adding attacking reinforcements ahead of next season.
However, Barcelona now appear to have shifted their immediate focus towards Gordon, moving quickly to secure the winger’s signature amid interest from other clubs.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reported that the Catalan side accelerated negotiations after discovering that Bayern Munich and Arsenal were also tracking the Newcastle player.
The England international is expected to travel to Spain for a medical examination on Thursday before completing a five-year contract running until 2031.
Reports from England also suggest Gordon’s salary will increase significantly following the move, with the winger expected to earn around £300,000 per week once the transfer officially takes effect when the summer transfer window opens on 1 July.
Barcelona manager Flick is understood to view Gordon as an ideal fit for his tactical approach, which emphasises aggressive pressing and rapid transitions in attack.
The development is likely to affect Osimhen’s prospects of joining the La Liga champions, despite the striker previously being viewed as one of the club’s leading attacking targets.
Barcelona are still expected to pursue another central striker before the new season begins, although reports now suggest Osimhen may no longer be the club’s preferred option.
Instead, attention is believed to have turned towards Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez and Chelsea attacker João Pedro as Barcelona continue reshaping their frontline.
Osimhen’s future nevertheless remains one of the major talking points of the transfer window after an impressive season with Galatasaray further enhanced his reputation as one of Europe’s leading strikers.
Meanwhile, Gordon arrives at Barcelona following the strongest campaign of his career with Newcastle United. The winger scored 17 goals and contributed four assists across all competitions during the season.
Ten of those goals came in the Champions League, where Gordon emerged as Newcastle’s main attacking threat despite the club finishing 12th in the Premier League.
Barcelona’s decision to prioritise the winger underlines the club’s intention to strengthen its attacking options ahead of another campaign in domestic and European competition, while uncertainty continues surrounding Osimhen’s next destination.
