As the first big transfer of the summer, Anthony Gordon's £70 million move to Barcelona from Newcastle United was always going to dominate headlines.
For Gordon, it’s the culmination of a lifelong ambition. As a youngster, he believed he would one day play for Barcelona, and rather than simply daydream over the possibility, he did something about it.
In his first interview after signing a contract until 2031, one that he gave in fluent Spanish, he described that he was “part of the best team in the world” and that it was “a dream come true.” He later revealed that he’d spent time speaking the language with Newcastle's physio, showing just how seriously he took the idea of one day making the move.
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Why Anthony Gordon Can Speak Fluent Spanish - First Barcelona Words Revealed
Nobody expected him to look as though he fitted in this well so soon.
The reaction to this was one of genuine astonishment. Reporters and fans were taken aback by his composure and fluency, but as it turned out, the Spanish was only part of the story. Because Gordon had also picked a third language and the moment it came to light left the Culers stunned.
See Gordon's Spanish interview here:
Barcelona Fans Shocked to Learn Anthony Gordon Speaks Third Language
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After the formal interview concluded, Gordon headed outside where a group of supporters had gathered, eager to catch a glimpse of their new signing and snatch an autograph. He took his time, working his way through the crowd, signing flags and posing for photographs with those who’d turned out to welcome him. Those moments endear new signings to the fanbase immediately, but what happened next elevated Gordon’s signing into something else altogether.
When one supporter asked Gordon whether he was happy, he didn’t reach for the Spanish he’d previously displayed or give a one-word answer in English. He responded in perfect Catalan:
"I'm very happy."
Even though it was a short response, it was met with cheers from the fans who’d heard it. For a fanbase that takes enormous pride in its language and cultural identity, hearing their new £70 million signing respond naturally and warmly in Catalan was about as good a first impression anyone could have hoped for. It was a small moment, but in Barcelona, speaking Catalan is never a small thing. It signals respect, effort, and a genuine connection to the club's identity.
Spanish journalist Carlos Monfort was very impressed, as he noted:
"Anthony Gordon leaves the culé fans speechless: after answering questions in perfect Spanish at the press conference, he also dares to speak in Catalan."
Gordon's Knowledge of Spanish Dates Back to his Everton Days
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To understand how Gordon arrived at this point, you have to go back well before his days at Newcastle to his formative years coming through the academy at Everton.
As per Diario AS, it was there, under the management of Rafa Benítez, that the seeds were first planted. Gordon developed a close relationship with Benítez's assistant and former Real Madrid, Sevilla, and Hercules midfielder, Antonio Gomez. In individual sessions with Gomez, Gordon began picking up Spanish naturally, conversing with both the former midfielder and the wider Spanish-speaking members of Benítez's coaching staff on a regular basis.
What began as a byproduct of those working relationships gradually became something Gordon pursued with intent. By the time he arrived at Newcastle, he was already making serious strides with the language, and it was there that his club physio helped him take it to another level entirely, the pair speaking Spanish together every single day.
The Catalan, it seems, came as part of the same journey. A player immersed in the Spanish language, dreaming of Barcelona, would inevitably find himself drawn to the language that sits at the very heart of the club's identity. Whether he sought it out deliberately or absorbed it alongside his Spanish, the effect was the same.