Barcelona have delayed the public unveiling of England winger Anthony Gordon due to minor paperwork issues, with his £70 million move from Newcastle United set to be confirmed later on Friday. Gordon, 25, passed his medical and signed a five-year contract, according to the report. The delay, now pushing the announcement to 16:00 BST, highlights the last-minute administrative hurdles typical of high-stakes transfer deadlines.

The £70 million paperwork delay: Why Barcelona's reveal stalled

According to the report, Barcelona originally planned to unveil Gordon at 12:30 BST on Friday but repeatedly pushed back the presentation due to "minor paperwork issues." The club has since rescheduled the reveal for their YouTube channel at 16:00 BST. sporting director Deco met with Gordon's representatives on Monday, and the deal includes a £70m base fee plus bonuses and a future percentage of any sale for Newcastle.

How Newcastle's £125m Isak precedent set the stage for Gordon's exit

The Gordon transfer is the second most expensive sale in Newcastle's history, trailing only the British record £125m fee received from Liverpool for Alexander Isak last summer,as reported. That precedent allowed Newcastle to hold firm on their £70m valuation despite Bayern Munich offering only £60m. Gordon, who finished the season as Newcastle's top scorer with 18 goals,did not feature in the final six games as manager Eddie Howe acknowledged the uncertainty over his future.

What Everton's 15% sell-on clause means for the £70m deal

Everton, who sold Gordon to Newcastle for £45m in 2023, have a sell-on clause entitling them to 15% of the profit on this sale. Given the £70m fee, that profit amounts to £25m, meaning the Merseyside club stands to receive approximately £3.75m from the transfer, according to the report. This clause was likely factored into Newcastle's negotiation strategy, ensuring their former rivals still benefit from the player's ascent.

The Rashford complication: A £26m clause and a surprise Gordon outlay

Gordon's arrival complicates Barcelona's pursuit of Marcus Rashford, on loan from Manchester United. The report states that Barcelona have until June 15 to trigger a £26m clause to buy Rashford permanently, but their preference is to secure another loan. Observers were surprised that Barcelona spent heavily on Gordon when financial constraints were reportedly the main obstacle to signing Rashford permanently. Despite the Gordon deal, the club still intends to discuss a loan for Rashford this week.