Newcastle United has received the first instalment of the transfer fee for Anthony Gordon from Barcelona as planned, despite earlier reports in Spanish media suggesting Barcelona intended to defer part of the payment, according to British outlet Chronicle Live.

On 29 May, Barcelona and Newcastle reached an agreement for Anthony Gordon's transfer, with the England international joining the La Liga champions for a fixed transfer fee of £69 million plus add-ons.

Spanish outlet El Desmarque previously reported that Barcelona initially intended to defer a short-term payment of £18.88 million until June 2027 and claimed that Barcelona subsequently renegotiated the terms with Newcastle, agreeing to pay £38 million upfront, with a second payment to bring the total fixed transfer fee to £69 million.

However, Chronicle Live reports that this is not the case. Newcastle received the first instalment according to the original payment schedule, with the funds financed by Barcelona.

The report states that had Barcelona's payment deferral actually taken place, it would likely have been a debt repayment arrangement stemming from their bank financing rather than an unpaid transfer fee owed to Newcastle. There was no revision to the payment plan between Newcastle and Barcelona, and Barcelona currently has no outstanding transfer payments to Newcastle.

In addition to the fixed transfer fee of £69 million, Newcastle can receive up to £8.5 million in add-ons if the 25-year-old Anthony Gordon plays in at least 60% of matches each season and helps Barcelona win silverware.

Anthony Gordon made significant progress during his three and a half seasons at Newcastle. Since joining Barcelona, he has made an excellent start to the season, providing five assists in his first five matches.

For the England national team, Anthony Gordon has replaced Marcus Rashford as a key option on the left wing and has also taken Rashford's place in Barcelona's squad. Rashford returned to Manchester United this summer following a loan spell at Barcelona last season.

When asked why Anthony Gordon was chosen over Rashford, Barcelona sporting director Deco responded: "We are very grateful to Rashford; he did a lot for the team last season, but our playing philosophy aligns better with Anthony's characteristics. His style matches what the head coach is looking for."

"With Anthony Gordon, we believe he is one of the players the team needs. When Raphinha is not on the pitch, the team loses some of its vitality, and Anthony Gordon can help us address this issue."

Deco also stated: "Our biggest advantage is that the player himself was very keen to join, and he was able to put pressure on Newcastle to force the move through."

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