Shearer backs Newcastle's decision to sell Gordon to Barcelona for £69m

Alan Shearer has endorsed Newcastle United’s decision to sell Anthony Gordon to Barcelona for a reported £69 million, calling the deal well-timed and fair value for all involved as the England winger closes in on a move to the Catalan club.

Barcelona are set to complete the signing within a week of the Premier League season’s end, with Gordon’s performances in the Champions League last season understood to have convinced Hansi Flick’s side to commit to the fee. The former Everton winger joins a forward line that will now include one of the most sought-after young English players of recent seasons.

Shearer, speaking to Betfair, drew a direct line between this sale and the turbulent departure of Alexander Isak to Liverpool in the summer of 2025. That move dragged deep into the transfer window after Isak pushed for an exit, and Shearer believes it has fundamentally changed how Newcastle approach player sales.

“I think Newcastle have been scarred by the Isak situation and can never be put in that situation again,” Shearer said. “I think there’s a part of… you’d never want to be bitten twice, like they did last summer. Whether they could have got more for him, I don’t know. I guess the timing is right now so they can plan.”

Shearer acknowledged Gordon’s contribution this season but was measured in his assessment, noting that three of the winger’s six Premier League goals came from the penalty spot. He also pointed to the fact that head coach Eddie Howe had not selected Gordon for the final five or six weeks of the campaign as a sign that the relationship had run its course.

“I’m not upset at all that he’s leaving,” Shearer said. “No one’s bigger than the club, so it’s a good deal for Newcastle, first and foremost, and it’s a really good deal for Anthony Gordon, so good luck to him.”

The former England captain did express some surprise at Barcelona’s willingness to spend at that level given the club’s well-documented financial constraints. “I’m surprised that Barcelona are paying £70 million for him, plus add-ons, because I didn’t think that Barca had that type of money,” he said, adding that the Spanish club may be playing a shrewd financial game.

For Newcastle, the priority now shifts to reinvestment. Shearer’s broader point was that securing a clean, early exit — rather than a protracted saga — gives Eddie Howe the runway to reshape his squad before pre-season begins.