Deco: Anthony Gordon was a better long-term fit for Barcelona than Marcus Rashford

Barcelona sporting director Deco says Anthony Gordon’s playing style was a better match for the club’s plans than Marcus Rashford’s, helping shape their decision not to sign the England forward permanently.

Rashford spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Barcelona, scoring 14 goals in all competitions as the club won the LaLiga title.

Despite that contribution, Barcelona chose not to activate the £30M purchase clause for the 28-year-old. Manager Hansi Flick had been open to bringing Rashford back if an agreement could be reached with Manchester United after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Instead, Barcelona prioritised a deal for Gordon, with the £80M transfer completed before the World Cup. Deco said the club believed the Newcastle United winger offered a more suitable long-term option.

“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.

“In the case of Gordon, we saw that he was one of the figures we needed.

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

The comments underline the importance Barcelona placed on finding a winger who could provide greater intensity and more closely reflect Flick’s preferred style of play.

Although Rashford had impressed during his season in Catalonia, Barcelona’s recruitment strategy shifted towards Gordon as they assessed alternative targets in the transfer market.