Deco Reveals Why Barcelona Chose Anthony Gordon Over Marcus Rashford This Summer
Barcelona sporting director Deco has explained the club’s decision to let Marcus Rashford return to Manchester United rather than sign him permanently, instead pursuing an ambitious £59 million move for Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon over the summer.
Rashford enjoyed a productive loan spell at the Camp Nou last season, scoring 14 goals and contributing significantly as Barcelona won both the La Liga title and the Spanish Supercup. Despite that success, the Catalan club ultimately opted against triggering a €30 million purchase option that would have made the move permanent, choosing instead to spend roughly €70 million to bring in Gordon from Newcastle United as part of a busy summer of recruitment that also saw Rodri, Joao Cancelo, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus and Dominik Livakovic arrive at the club.
Speaking to Spanish radio station RAC1, Deco addressed the decision directly, expressing gratitude for Rashford’s contribution while explaining that the club’s evolving style of play under new head coach Hansi Flick pointed toward Gordon as the better long-term fit. “We are extremely grateful to Rashford,” Deco said. “He contributed a lot last season, but our idea of play is much more linked to Anthony. His style fits with what the coach is looking for.”
Deco went on to explain that the decision stemmed from a broader assessment of the squad’s shortcomings during previous campaigns, particularly a perceived drop in energy and intensity whenever Raphinha was unavailable. “We see every training session and analyse the team,” he said, adding that the club had a clear idea of the attributes it was seeking and had analysed a wide range of wingers before ultimately identifying Gordon as the right fit, despite the inherent difficulty of signing a player directly from the Premier League.
Gordon has made a strong early impression since arriving at Camp Nou, registering five assists across his opening five appearances for the club, a tally matching a La Liga record for a player’s start to a season, and has already won over supporters, who chanted his name during Barcelona’s 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano earlier this season. Deco also used the interview to address the club’s separate, unsuccessful pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez over the summer, insisting Barcelona had conducted themselves properly throughout that process and denying suggestions that the club had asked Alvarez to publicly express a desire to leave Atletico.
For Manchester United, the situation leaves Rashford back at Old Trafford having failed to secure a permanent Barcelona move, with reports suggesting the club will be hoping he can use the coming season to rebuild his value and stake a claim for a future transfer, even as Gordon continues to justify Barcelona’s faith in his ability to provide the intensity and creative spark the club had been missing.
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