In a fascinating early development ahead of the 2026 summer transfer window, it appears as though Anthony Gordon is already close to securing a major move away from Newcastle United. Reports suggest he could soon complete an £70m move to Barcelona ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
While this would be a great move for the Englishman, one of his international teammates may be a little concerned by the news. After all, Barca already have a left-winger on their books in Marcus Rashford.
The 28-year-old has spent the season in Spain on loan from Manchester United, but this suggests he's not done enough to convince Hansi Flick that he'd be worth the reported £26m to get a permanent transfer across the line.
Adding to the intrigue, both Gordon and Rashford are set to battle it out for the starting left-winger position under Thomas Tuchel at this summer's World Cup. With all that in mind, here's how the duo's stats compare from the past season.
Anthony Gordon England Related
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Gordon will be earning MORE than Marcus Rashford, who he looks to be replacing at Camp Nou 🚨🤑
Simple Stats in 2025/26
Marcus Rashford
It makes sense to start with a quick glance at their club performances in 2025/26. Both played a similar number of minutes and games, so it's fair to compare how they got on.
Notably, Rashford had a more productive season. Although he scored three fewer goals, he had 14 assists, meaning he directly contributed to 28 goals, which is six more than the 22 Gordon managed in all competitions.
Rashford also helped deliver a league title as Barcelona secured La Liga thanks to his eight goals and nine assists in 32 outings. The Englishman also bagged an impressive nine-goal contribution as his side made it to the Champions League semi-finals.
However, Gordon outshone Rahsford in that competition, with a remarkable 10 goals in the European competition, as well as a further two assists, before Newcastle were knocked out by Barcelona at the Last 16 stage. The 25-year-old wasn't at his best in the Premier League as he scored just six times, with the Magpies finishing 12th.
With that in mind, it's likely his displays in the Champions League are what really caught Barcelona's attention. It wouldn't have hurt that he scored against them in September – although Rashford hit a brace in the very same game.
Simple Club Stats in 2025/26 (All Competitions)
Stats
Games
Minutes
Goals
Assists
Detailed Club Stats in the League For 2025/26
anthony gordon newcastle united
One fair way to get an idea of how the duo have performed this season is to look at more detailed stats in the league per 90 minutes. In La Liga, Rashford appears to have been a more impactful player. He averaged more shots per 90, with a better shooting accuracy, which is reflected in his aforementioned superior goal tally.
The Barca star was also more creative, with 2.4 chances created per game – compared to Gordon's 1.3 – and had a better crossing and passing accuracy. That said, the Newcastle star was more progressive with his passing, making 6.8 forward passes per 90, compared to 5.4, which may explain why he was marginally less accurate – although both men appear to be reliable on the ball due to their high technical level.
Positively for Gordon, he was a better dribbler, with a take-on success rate of 48.48 per cent, which is far better than Rashford's 33.33 per cent. And he also lost the ball and was caught offside far less often. Perhaps most notably, the Newcastle star offers a little more off the ball, with more duels won per 90.
|Detailed League Stats (per 90)|
|Stats|Marcus Rashford|Anthony Gordon|
|Games|32|26|
|Minutes|1,762|1,814|
|Shots|2.6|1.9|
|Shot Accuracy %|59.18|54.05|
|Pass Accuracy %|84.63|81.98|
|Cross Accuracy %|25|21.43|
|Take-on Success %|33.33|48.48|
|Chances Created|2.4|1.3|
|Forward Passes|5.4|6.8|
|Duels Won|3.4|4.9|
|Aerial Duels won|0.3|0.4|
|Touches|64.4|46.5|
|Possession Lost|18.5|12.9|
|Offsides|0.6|0.3|
|---|
Career Stats and Final Conclusion
Barcelona's Marcus Rashford during the warm up
Finally, it's worth a look at how the pair compared across their entire careers. Of course, Rashford is almost four years older, so it's unsurprising that he has played more, scored more, assisted more, and won more. That said, there's every reason to think that Gordon could match the 28-year-old's tally when he reaches the same age.
For example, he's played 30 fewer Champions League games but is already just seven goals behind Rashford, while he could also expect to enjoy more success if he were playing for a better team. After all, Gordon has played for Everton and Newcastle so far in his career, while Rashford has been at Man Utd and more recently Barcelona – teams which tend to dominate more and have a greater shot at trophies.
That said, one mark against Gordon's name is that he has scored just two goals for England and has not registered an assist in 17 games. In comparison, Rashford has 25 goal contributions in his 70 caps for the Three Lions.
Overall, Rashford has clearly had a superior career and appears to have had a better season at club level in 2025/26. However, he is 28 years old and in his prime, whereas Gordon should soon be coming into it (still aged just 25). What's more, the younger Englishman is known for his work rate – and this is reflected by the fact that he won more duels than Rashford in the league per 90.
An ability to press and work hard off the ball may well explain why Barcelona appear keen on the Newcastle star. Gordon is also younger, so he appears to have more upside in the long-run. That said, the finances are extremely high on the move, with a £70m fee touted, and massive reported wages of £300,000-a-week. Seeing as Rashford earns closer to £230,000-per-week, and may even take a pay cut to secure a move for just £26m, it feels somewhat strange that Barcelona don't want to get that deal done.
It feels as if the Spanish giants are keen on signing Gordon for what he could be, but – judging from the stats – they'd perhaps be wise to not overlook what they already have in Rashford.
All Time Career Stats
Stats
Premier League Games
Premier League Goals
Premier League Assists
Champions League Games
Champions League Goals
Champions League Assists
England Games
England Goals
England Assists
Major Honours
Via Transfermarkt and Squawka - correct as of 28/05/26