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Barcelona are said to have given Anthony Gordon assurances that he will be registered in time for the club's opening La Liga fixture of the season—against Elche later this month.
A frantic effort to trim costs and free up spending capacity has characterized each of the past few summers for the Spanish champions. Marcus Rashford wasn't cleared to feature in La Liga until the day of last season's opening game, while Barcelona had previously found themselves in serious trouble over Dani Olmo's registration, which was ultimately revoked by La Liga midway through the campaign.
Gordon was the first signing Barcelona completed this summer, announced in late May just two weeks before the 2026 World Cup got underway. However, completing a transfer is not the same as securing La Liga registration, which requires compliance with all financial and spending regulations.
The English winger has yet to be assigned a squad number—nor has fellow new signing Karim Adeyemi—which is a clear indication that his registration remains pending. Even operating under 1:1 spending rules—the ability to spend every euro the club earns—demands meticulous financial planning.
SPORT reports that Gordon's representatives visited Barcelona this week to "discuss" the details of his transfer with sporting director Deco's office. It has emerged that players are being registered one at a time, beginning with those who were part of last season's squad.
Ronald Araújo will need to be deregistered following his loan move to Liverpool, which should at least open up some financial room. Ferran Torres is set to join Paris Saint-Germain, while Marc Casadó and Héctor Fort will not be registered as they prepare to depart. Roony Bardghji's injury also means an additional squad slot can be freed up.
This suggests Barcelona will have the financial headroom to register Gordon sooner rather than later. Adeyemi would likely follow next, though the club would also need sufficient spending power to bring back João Cancelo and secure a deal for Rodri.
What Barcelona Jersey Number Will Gordon Get?
La Liga clubs are required to assign first-team registered players a jersey number between 1 and 25 each season. Players whose registration is officially held by the club's B team can still appear in senior matches and wear higher shirt numbers. Teenage winger Jesse Bisiwu may end up registered as a B team player if there is insufficient first-team space, but Gordon and Adeyemi are senior signings.
With both confirmed and anticipated departures, several shirt numbers are set to become available.
Currently, numbers 2, 4, 9, 12 and 14 are unoccupied. Should Torres depart, his No. 7 shirt would also be up for grabs. With Casadó's expected exit and Bardghji's deregistration due to injury, numbers 17 and 19 would become vacant as well.
None of those hold any particular personal significance for Gordon, who has worn the No. 10 at both Everton and Newcastle United. He briefly wore Newcastle's No. 8 when he first arrived at the club in January 2023, while his emergence at Everton came with the numbers 42 and then 24.
At Barcelona, the No. 10 carries enormous weight given Lionel Messi's iconic association with it, and is now fittingly worn by Lamine Yamal. However, the No. 7 shirt would be a natural fit for a winger of Gordon's profile—a number he has worn for the England national team on previous occasions.
At Barcelona, the No. 7 does not carry the same mystique and tradition it holds at other clubs, particularly in the 21st century. Luís Figo's legacy was tarnished when he crossed the divide to join Real Madrid in 2000, and most subsequent wearers have had brief or underwhelming spells.
This could potentially ease the weight of expectation on Gordon as he embarks on a demanding new chapter in his career.