Is Anthony Gordon part of Barcelona's striker solution after impressing on La Liga debut against Elche? - 'Blew the game open'

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Barcelona's hunt for a new striker has been one of the storylines dominating this summer's transfer window, with no end in sight. Replacing Robert Lewandowski has proven to be difficult for the Catalan club.

Gordon loving 'every minute' of first week at Barcelona

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Their pursuit of Julian Alvarez continues to rumble on, with the Argentinian having his heart set on joining Barca, but Atletico are adamant about not selling him to a La Liga rival.

Other names have been bandied about, from Lautaro Martinez of Internazionale to Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres, but any significant additions still seem some ways off.

With the Alvarez saga showing no sign of slowing down - the forward was booed by Atletico fans during the team's opening league game of the season - Barca might have to look for solutions from their existing squad.

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And from the evidence of their curtain-raiser against Elche on Sunday, they might have already signed someone who can fill the No. 9 void.

Anthony Gordon - signed from Newcastle United for a reported £69.3 million in May - enjoyed a debut to remember for his new club, providing two assists in just 25 minutes, having come off the bench to replace Lamine Yamal.

The 25-year-old's first came just two minutes after coming on, sliding an incisive pass through for Raphinha to slot home.

And four minutes later, Gordon showed the blistering pace he has become known for, latching onto a ball through the heart of the Elche defence, breaking away and laying a pass across to Fermin Lopez for the easiest of finishes.

According to Opta, Gordon became the first player this century to provide two assists on his La Liga debut.

Afterwards, Gordon expressed how easily he has fit into life in Spain, and praised the team's performance in the 5-0 victory as they started their title defence in style.

"I feel so good. I have felt so good since I arrived," the England international said.

"The guys have made me feel so welcome, I feel at home already. The city is amazing. The people are so friendly. I will get better and better the longer I am here."

He added: "It was a top performance. I think it was the perfect start, five goals scored and none conceded. We played some lovely football, scored great goals and, more importantly, I thought the defenders made some excellent last-minute challenges and blocks."

Gordon's performance from the bench was the subject of plenty of praise in the Spanish media afterwards, such was his impact.

Mundo Deportivo called Gordon "unstoppable" and said he "showed his directness" from his introduction.

Meanwhile, Marca said Barca had signed a "missile", while according to AS, Gordon "blew the game open" by "combining blistering pace with outstanding decision-making".

The latter also asked a pertinent question, given Gordon's maiden appearance.

"Barcelona may have entered the season without a traditional No. 9. Fair enough. But after a night like this, the question practically asks itself: do they really need one?" AS wrote.

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Jack of all trades

In the absence of a recognised No. 9 against Elche, it was Raphinha who filled that void for Hansi Flick's side.

If Barca's hunt for Alvarez - or any of the strikers they have been linked to, for that matter - is unsuccessful, could Gordon be the one to lead the line?

While predominantly a left-winger, Gordon has experience playing across the attacking frontline, including through the middle.

According to Transfermarkt, he has played 31 times as a centre-forward, scoring 14 goals and providing two assists in those games.

For comparison, in 155 games on the left, he has 34 goals and 34 assists. In 54 from the right, the return is eight goals and eight assists.

Now, positional data is never perfect and Opta does not track it for that reason, but Gordon's flexibility is evident.

In a frontline made up of him, Raphinha and Yamal, versatility could be the selling point, giving Gordon the edge.

And while Flick might have string to his attacking bow, his comments after Sunday's game suggest more transfer dealings could be coming.

"We'll talk after the game. I'll talk to [sporting director] Deco and we'll see what we can do. We'll see next week," the German said.

Should Alvarez join - as he and Barca clearly want - he will fill that traditional No. 9 void left by Lewandowski.

But if it falls through, the job could be Gordon's to lose.

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