Deco Explains Barcelona's Choice of Anthony Gordon Over Rashford
Barcelona sporting director Deco says the club chose Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford because the England winger mirrors Hansi Flick’s footballing vision more closely.
Rashford hit 14 goals last season as Barça swept to LaLiga and Spanish Supercopa titles, but the champions walked away from a €30 million option to buy him permanently. Instead, they went all in on Gordon, wiring €70m to Newcastle United to install him as their new left-sided spearhead.
“We are extremely grateful to Rashford,” Deco told RAC1. “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, has yet to score for Barça, but he has wasted no time shaping games. Five assists in his first five matches have quickly softened the conversation around that fee. At Montjuïc, the reaction has been instant: fans chanted his name during a 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, a clear sign they have already picked up on his relentlessness off the ball and his directness on it.
Deco says that energy was precisely why Barça made him the priority.
“We see every training session and analyse the team,” he explained. “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 part of a sweeping rebuild. Rodri, João Cancelo, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus and Dominik Livaković also came through the door as Barça tried to refresh a title-winning squad without losing its edge.
One target who never made it was Bernardo Silva. The Portugal international instead crossed the Clasico divide to join Real Madrid, with Deco revealing that the move to Barça stalled not only on money but on minutes.
“He wasn’t what we were looking for in the end,” Deco said. “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 addressed the failed pursuit of Julián Álvarez, insisting Barcelona behaved correctly and rejecting any suggestion they pushed the Argentine to agitate for a move away from Atlético Madrid. He said Barça put €100m on the table, payable in three instalments, but Atlético never opened the door to negotiate.
Away from transfers, Deco turned to awards politics and did not hold back. He backed Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or and railed against the omission of Raphinha and Pedri from 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.”
For Deco, the message is clear: style, intensity and status matter. Gordon embodies the first two. Lamine, in his eyes, already owns the third.
