Victor Osimhen’s chances of joining Barcelona this summer appear to be fading after the Spanish champions reportedly reached a full agreement to sign Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon in an €80 million deal, Soccernet.ng reports.
The Galatasaray striker had been strongly linked with a move to Camp Nou in recent months as Barcelona searched for a long-term replacement for veteran forward Robert Lewandowski, who is expected to leave at the end of the season.
Osimhen attracted interest from several major clubs across Europe and Saudi Arabia after another productive campaign with Galatasaray. Barcelona sporting director Deco was believed to admire the Super Eagles star, while manager Hansi Flick also wanted more firepower ahead of next season’s Champions League campaign.
But according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona have now moved quickly to complete a deal for Gordon instead. The agreement with Newcastle is said to be worth €80m, made up of a guaranteed €70m fee plus €10m in add-ons.
The England international is expected to undergo his medical in Spain on Thursday before signing a five-year contract until 2031. Reports in England claim Gordon’s wages will rise to around £300,000 per week once the move becomes official when the transfer window opens on July 1.
Barcelona reportedly accelerated negotiations in the United Kingdom after learning that Bayern Munich and Arsenal were also monitoring the winger. Flick is understood to view Gordon as a perfect fit for his aggressive pressing style and quick transitional football.
Victor Osimhen: Barcelona still searching for a striker
Despite Gordon’s arrival, Barcelona are still expected to enter the market for a central striker, although Osimhen may no longer be their main target.
The Catalan club are now believed to be focusing on Atlético Madrid forward Julián Álvarez and Chelsea attacker João Pedro as they reshape their attack ahead of the new season.
Gordon enjoyed the best campaign of his career at Newcastle, scoring 17 goals and producing four assists in all competitions. Ten of those goals came in the Champions League, where he emerged as Newcastle’s biggest attacking threat despite the club finishing 12th in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Osimhen remains a key figure at Galatasaray after helping the Turkish giants win another Süper Lig title. The Nigerian finished the season with 22 goals and eight assists in 33 appearances, including seven goals in the Champions League.
Galatasaray moved quickly last summer to sign Osimhen permanently after his initial loan spell and tied him to a contract running until 2029. Club president Dursun Özbek has repeatedly insisted that the striker is not for sale, while reports in Turkey suggest Galatasaray would only consider offers well above €100m if the player pushes for an exit himself.
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