Anthony Gordon given new nickname by Barcelona fans after just three games

Anthony Gordon has been given a new nickname at Barcelona after his impressive start to the La Liga season.

Gordon joined Barcelona from Newcastle for £69.3 million at the start of the summer window.

He made his competitive debut during Barca's 5-0 away win over Elche in their opening fixture of the Spanish domestic campaign.

The 25-year-old went on to provide two assists and, in the process, became the first player in the 21st century to do so on his La Liga debut.

Gordon started for the first time in La Liga in the 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, and then provided his third assist of the season in a 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano on Monday.

The left winger cut inside in the penalty area onto his right foot, before then superbly backheeling the ball for Raphinha to slot it into the back of the net.

It was a superb assist that even left midfielder Rodri holding his hands over his head, with the Spaniard on for his second Barca appearance following his extended World Cup break.

Gordon is clearly settling into life in Spain quickly, and he has already been given a brand-new nickname by Barcelona fans.

A banner outside the Camp Nou, which has been posted to social media, depicts Gordon in sunglasses alongside the words 'Antoni Gros e Catala'.

Translated into English, it reads: "Big Anthony is Catalan."

Gordon surprised many at Barcelona when he answered some questions at his June unveiling in Spanish.

He explained that he had believed growing up that he would one day play for Barca, and said he wanted to learn the language as a result.

"We play football and we kid ourselves that we play to win," he told The Guardian in July. "We want to win, of course. But we want to see who we can become.

"I have always been very intrigued to see who I can become, mentally. I'm from a very poor background, just a normal family, and I have made the journey to this level.

"I want to keep doing that. I want to learn as many languages, read as many books and see what kind of person I can become."

Gordon is one of only 13 English players to make a competitive appearance for Barcelona, and one of four to have done so since the end of the First World War.

Marcus Rashford and Gary Lineker previously represented Barca, with Les Cules opting not to sign Rashford on a permanent deal following his loan spell last season. The 28-year-old is now back at Manchester United and is set to stay at Old Trafford beyond the summer transfer deadline.