Barcelona Chooses Anthony Gordon Over Marcus Rashford
Barcelona sporting director Deco has laid bare why the Spanish champions chose Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford this summer – and it comes down to Hansi Flick’s blueprint.
Rashford hit 14 goals in all competitions during his loan spell at Barcelona last season, helping the club to a La Liga and Copa del Rey double. The deal included an option to make his move from Manchester United permanent for £30.3m (35m euros) at the end of the 12-month stay.
Barcelona walked away.
The 28-year-old’s contract was not extended and he returned to Old Trafford, even with a relatively modest fee on the table for a forward of his pedigree.
Instead, the Catalan side pushed their budget into a different kind of wide threat. Anthony Gordon arrived from Newcastle United in a deal worth more than 80m euros (£69.3m), one of two major summer signings alongside Manchester City midfielder Rodri. For Deco, those moves plugged glaring gaps in Flick’s squad.
Speaking to Catalan radio station RAC1 on Thursday, Deco was careful to underline Rashford’s impact before spelling out the stylistic call.
“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's. His style fits with what the coach is looking for.”
That last line is the crux. Under Flick, Barcelona want relentless intensity from their wingers, constant running without the ball and aggression in transition. Deco admitted that when Raphinha was missing last season, the side sagged physically and emotionally.
“In the case of Gordon, we saw that he was one of the figures we needed,” he said. “When Raphinha wasn't on the pitch, the team lost energy and with him we could solve it. The big advantage we had is that the player wanted to come and he was able to put on pressure [at Newcastle to be allowed to leave].”
Gordon has never hidden what the move means to him, saying he had believed he would play for Barcelona since he was “three years of age”. That conviction helped push the transfer over the line in a market Deco described as brutally difficult, especially when shopping in England.
“We had a clear idea what we're looking for,” Deco said. “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.”
The early returns back up the decision. Gordon has made five appearances so far, already supplying four assists as Barcelona have opened their La Liga defence with four wins from four, scoring 17 and conceding just two.
Rashford is back at Manchester United, his Barcelona chapter closed for now. Gordon, by contrast, has walked straight into Flick’s high-octane vision – and if this start is any indication, Barcelona’s bold bet on energy over sentiment may define their season.
