Barcelona Chooses Anthony Gordon Over Marcus Rashford

Barcelona sporting director Deco says the club chose Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford because the England winger mirrors Hansi Flick’s footballing blueprint more closely.

Rashford hit 14 goals last season as Barça reclaimed LaLiga and lifted the Spanish Supercopa, but that impact still wasn’t enough for the champions to trigger a €30 million option to buy. Instead, they ripped up the script and pushed €70m across the table to Newcastle United for Gordon, betting big on a different profile on the left.

“We are extremely grateful to Rashford,” Deco told RAC1 on Thursday. “He contributed a lot last season, but our idea of play is much more linked to Anthony. His style fits with what the coach [Hansi Flick] is looking for.”

Gordon, 25, is still waiting for his first Barça goal, yet his influence is already obvious. Five games, five assists. He has hit the ground sprinting, if not quite scoring.

The Camp Nou crowd has responded. During a recent 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, supporters chanted his name, a rare early endorsement for a big-money signing. Deco says that reaction reflects exactly why the club pushed so hard to land him.

“We see every training session and analyse the team,” he said when asked why Barça prioritised Gordon. “We have a clear idea what we're looking for. One of the areas we struggled last season, without Raphinha, was that the team's energy dropped. It was lost.

“We needed more intensity. We analysed a lot of wingers. Signing someone from the Premier League is almost impossible, but [Flick] was clear with what he wanted and we worked on a deal from there.”

Gordon arrived as one of six senior additions in a busy summer, alongside Rodri, João Cancelo, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus and Dominik Livaković, as Barça tried to retool a title-winning squad without losing its edge.

Bernardo, Julián and the deals that got away

Not every target walked through the door.

Bernardo Silva chose the other side of the Clásico divide, signing for Real Madrid after talks with Barça fizzled out. Deco insists that decision was not purely about money, but also about how often the Portugal international would play.

“He wasn't what we were looking for in the end,” Deco explained. “I love him. He's one of the best in the world in his position.

“He wanted to come to Barça, but things didn't move forward because we have certain parameters. It wasn't just a financial issue, it was also about playing time.

“It's not up to me to say if he is going to play or not, that's the coach's decision. But he had a different perception to us after playing [regularly] at City. He wanted to play.”

Deco also lifted the lid on Barça’s failed attempt to sign Julián Álvarez, stressing the club’s conduct and rejecting any suggestion they asked the Argentine forward to force his way out of Atlético Madrid.

He said Barça had put €100m on the table, payable in three instalments, but Atlético never showed the slightest inclination to negotiate. The door stayed shut.

Lamine, the Ballon d'Or and a “scandalous” snub

When the conversation turned from transfers to trophies, Deco’s tone sharpened.

He backed Lamine Yamal as the leading candidate for the Ballon d'Or and openly questioned how Raphinha and Pedri failed to make the 30-man shortlist.

“I think [Lamine's the favourite], no doubt,” he said. “Not just for what he's done with Barcelona, but he's won a World Cup with Spain as an important player, too.

“Let's not forget he went into the World Cup with an injury as well. He was the best player in LaLiga last season. It's not because it's Lamine, our player, it's because I like football.

“For me, it's a huge scandal [that Raphinha and Pedri aren't also nominated]. I don't understand these lists. Seeing that Pedri's not there, with the talent he has ... I don't get it.”

From the left wing to the Ballon d'Or stage, Deco’s message is clear: Barça are building a side around intensity, identity and star power. The question now is whether those choices keep them ahead in a league where their rivals are just as aggressive, and just as sure of their own plans.