The new arrival did not need months to respond to those doubts. Just four matches were enough for him to put his name alongside two iconic Barcelona figures, achieving a rare feat that has been accomplished by only a handful of players in recent La Liga history.
Anthony Gordon joins an elite Barcelona list
The player in question is Anthony Gordon, the England international who joined Barcelona from Newcastle United during the summer transfer window.
When Gordon arrived in Catalonia, there were questions over the value of the deal, particularly because Barcelona decided against making Marcus Rashford’s loan move permanent after his impressive spell at the club.
Gordon’s early performances at the World Cup also did littleoubts initially. However, after producing some outstanding displays during the knockout stages, the English winger carried that momentum into Barcelona and the new season.
From his first appearances, Gordon began to build an impressive understandieammates and quickly looked comfortable within Hansi Flick’s system.
Gordon makes history in La Liga
The biggest milestone came after the fourth round of La Liga, when Gordon reached four assists in his opening four league appearances.
That achievement made Gordon only the third player in the 21st century to register four assists in his first four La Liga matches, joining two iconic names closely associated with Barcelona: Cesc Fabregas and Luis Suarez.
Gordon’s fourth assist came during Barcelona’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Valencia, when he set up Fermin Lopez to score and once again demonstrated how qnish football.
The English winger began his La Liga career with two assists in Barcelona’s win over Elche, followed by another assist against Rayo Vallecano before producing one more against Valencia. That means he has provided an assist in each of his first four league appearances.
The numbers become even more impressive when compared with Gordon’s statistics from last season. The winger registered only two assists in 26 Premier League appearances, meaning he has already doubled that tally in just four matches with Barcelona.
Gordon closes in on Messi’s record
Gordon’s achievement does not stop with Fabregas and Suarez.
The Barcelona winger is now just one assist away from matching Lionel Messi’s tally from his first four La Liga matches.
Messi recorded five assists in his opening four league games of the 2011/12 season, while Gordon currently has four. That gives the Englishman an opportunity to move closer to one of the most eye-catching early-season records associated with Barcelona’s greatest-ever player.
What makes Gordon particularly valuable to Barcelona is his ability to create danger from the wing. His pace, direct running and ability to find teammates in decisive areas have quickly made him an influential part of the Catalan side’s attack.
That is precisely why he has established himself so quickly under Hansi Flick. His influence goes beyond beating defenders and creating space; he is also providing a consistent and measurable attacking output.
A rapid adaptation to Hansi Flick’s system
One of the most encouraging aspects of Gordon’s start at Barcelona has been how quickly he has adapted to Flick’s demanding style of football.
The England international recently discussed the differences between La Liga and the Premier League, highlighting the greater tactical and technical intelligence required in Spanish football.
Despite those challenges, Gordon has adapted remarkably quickly. He has looked comfortable in Barcelona’s fluid attacking structure, which has helped the club produce a high-scoring start to the campaign, with four victories from four league matches.
His understanding with Raphinha, Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez has also become an important feature of Barcelona’s attacking play, particularly while the team has operated without a traditional number nine for significant stretches of the early season.
For Flick, Gordon’s rapid integration represents a major boost. The winger was brought in to add quality and depth to Barcelona’s attack, but his early contribution has already exceeded expectations.
Now, after joining Fabregas and Luis Suarez in an exclusive statistical club and moving within touching distance of a Messi record, the transfer that initially raised questions is quickly becoming one of Barcelona’s most intriguing moves of the summer.
If Gordon can maintain this level, Barcelona may have found one of the signings of the summer, with the English winger already turning early doubts into numbers that speak for themselves.
Anthony Gordon has registered four assists in his first four games in LaLiga. 🅰️
Only three players have done so in their first four matches in the competition in the 21st century:
◉ Cesc Fàbregas
◉ Luis Suárez
◉ Anthony Gordon 🆕Settled in nicely. 🤝 pic.twitter.com/hbAfgJpqd7
— Squawka (@Squawka) September 7, 2026