Anthony Gordon joined Spanish giants Barcelona from Newcastle United in the summer for £69million.
Anthony Gordon has claimed his “quality and football IQ” were not appreciated during his time at Newcastle United.
The 25-year-old believes his £69million move to Barcelona has changed how he is perceived in England, with the winger feeling he is now regarded as a player with quality rather than simply being “really quick and really aggressive”.
Gordon is yet to score his first goal for the Catalan giants but is currently the joint-top assist-maker in La Liga with five.
Anthony Gordon of England celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between England and Spain at Wembley Stadium on September 26, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)placeholder image
Anthony Gordon of England celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between England and Spain at Wembley Stadium on September 26, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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His first goal of the campaign came in England colours in their UEFA Nations League defeat to Spain at Wembley on Saturday night.
Anthony Gordon boasts about his “football IQ” after leaving Newcastle United
“I think I've become a different player in a lot of people's eyes," Gordon told ITV. “I always felt in England, people respected me because I was fast and I pressed but they never actually respected the quality and IQ that I play with.
“Only the players I play with ever seem to notice that. I think now I'm at Barcelona and I play a different style, those qualities are highlighted much more and people are actually starting to take notice that I'm not just quick.
“In England, it was never really respected because people just see me as really quick and really aggressive. In Spain, they really appreciate my IQ and quality because at Barca, if you're not technical, if you're not smart, you're going to stand out like a sore thumb.”
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Gordon came through the academy at Everton before joining Newcastle in January 2023 for £45million.
The Scouser scored 39 goals and provided 28 assists in 152 appearances for the Magpies to help the club end their 56-year trophy drought and twice qualify for the Champions League. But it wasn’t until his move to Barcelona that Gordon felt fully respected.
"I think they're starting to [respect me more]," he added. "I still think it can happen more but they're starting to because they see me play for Barcelona in a different style of football where maybe those qualities are highlighted more.
"I played for Newcastle who were a really intense running team so the attributes of running and aggression were always on show. Now, I play a whole opposite style of football where my other qualities can show.
"[Sometimes you have to leave to be appreciated] -- and that was kind of what I wanted, if I'm honest. I wanted to leave the Premier League. I wanted a different experience and I wanted exactly that.
"I felt like I had more than what people thought of me and I wanted to show that on the world's biggest stage."