'Wow, well done!' - Henry reacts to Gordon's Spanish & believes the winger will shine at Barca

Gordon

Thierry Henry has praised Anthony Gordon's efforts to speak Spanish following his arrival at Barcelona and believes the England winger is perfectly suited to the club's style of play. The Arsenal legend also highlighted the importance of completing the transfer before the World Cup, backing Gordon to make a major impact in Catalonia.

Henry backs Gordon to fit Barcelona's style

Henry believes Gordon has the qualities needed to succeed at Barcelona following the winger's move to the Catalan club for a potential fee of €80 million (£69.3 million) from Newcastle. The former Barcelona star stressed that Gordon's pace, versatility and ability to attack defenders in one-on-one situations would add strength to the Blaugrana's attack.

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Henry praises Gordon's qualities and professionalism

Henry pointed to Gordon's capacity to play across the front line as a key strength, and feels those attributes will suit the attacking football Barcelona are expected to play under Hansi Flick.

Discussing Gordon's footballing profile, Henry told Betway: "I do think that Anthony Gordon is going to have a great impact in a team that plays outstanding football. They’re going to leave you 1v1, he can stretch a team because he runs in behind, and he has an eye for a goal. He can play on the left, the right and down the middle, as he has for Newcastle.

"It’s a dream come true for him, and he worked it out before the World Cup so he can focus on doing what he needs to do this summer. It’s a great move for Barcelona as well. They got their business done early because during the World Cup it isn’t easy to talk to players. Hopefully for him, he’s going to have a massive impact and it looks like everything should work out."

Impressed by the linguistic transition

Away from the pitch, Gordon caught attention by speaking Spanish during part of his introductory press conference. Henry viewed the gesture as an important step towards settling into a new environment and connecting with supporters.

"Yes, but also that’s what you’re supposed to do – arrive somewhere and adapt," Henry added. "It’s a sign that he already has an understanding of where he is.

"I’ve always thought that when you arrive somewhere, you have to make the effort to speak the language for the press, and for the fans just to understand you. When I saw it I was like, ‘wow, well done mate’."

Anthony Gordon England v New Zealand - International Friendly

Focus on the World Cup first

Attention will now turn to Gordon's adaptation to Spanish football and his role within Flick's attacking setup. The winger will be expected to integrate quickly both on and off the pitch.

However, before starting his career in Catalonia, Gordon will first focus on his duties with the England squad at the 2026 World Cup. Three Lions will play their final friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday, before starting the tournament against Croatia in Group L next week, a group that also contains Ghana and Panama.