Gordon Nears Entry into Barcelona's History

Anthony Gordon is preparing to become Barcelona's first signing during the summer transfer window in preparation for the 2026/2027 season, after the Catalan club finalized its agreement with the player, according to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo." The report indicated that Deco chose to sign a forward known for his speed, strong pressing, and ability to play directly in the attacking third.

Gordon will become the third English player to wear the Barcelona jersey in the last hundred years, in a move that confirms the club's continued reliance on British players for the second consecutive season to strengthen the team.

Meanwhile, the future of Marcus Rashford remains a topic of discussion within Barcelona, especially as his loan period is set to end next month. The management must make a final decision regarding the player's continuation with the team and the appropriate way to achieve that. Rashford concluded the season with impressive numbers, having scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists, making him one of only three players at Barcelona to achieve double figures in both scoring and assisting, alongside Lamine Yamal and Fermín López.

The same source clarified that Gary Lineker is considered the most prominent English player to have represented Barcelona in the last century, having played for the club between 1986 and 1989. He participated in 139 official matches and scored 52 goals, and he continues to be appreciated by the club's fans even after his retirement and his work in English media.

The name Marcus McGowan also appears on the list, having played for Barcelona Athletic between 2018 and 2020, and participated in a Catalonia Cup match with the reserve team, before later moving to Huddersfield in England.

The report pointed out that the history of Barcelona has seen a notable English presence, especially during the early years of the club's founding, when football began to spread within Catalonia thanks to players coming from England, the country where the game was born.

Arthur Witty stands out as one of the influential historical figures within Barcelona, having played as a midfielder and captained the team between 1899 and 1905. He later held administrative and presidential positions at the club. Witty participated in 79 matches wearing the Barcelona jersey and scored 6 goals, while he retained membership number 2 until his death.

His brother, Ernest Francis Witty, also played with Barcelona between 1899 and 1901, before becoming one of the prominent figures in tennis in Catalonia by founding and presiding over the Real Barcelona Tennis Club.

The list of English players who have been part of Barcelona includes many names from the early 20th century, among them Charles Wallace, who played 99 matches and scored 80 goals, as well as Percy Wallace, who scored 66 goals in 70 matches, along with several other names who contributed to the early years of the Catalan club's history.

The report also mentioned Jack Greenwell, who played for Barcelona before later becoming one of the most prominent coaches in the club's history, alongside other English names who participated in various friendly matches long before Gary Lineker's arrival.