Deco explains why Barcelona chose Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford

Barcelona sporting director Deco has revealed why the club decided against signing Marcus Rashford permanently and instead invested heavily in Anthony Gordon, with Hansi Flick's tactical demands central to the decision.

Rashford enjoyed an impressive loan spell at the Camp Nou last season, scoring 14 goals as Barcelona won La Liga and the Spanish Supercup. However, the Catalan club opted not to activate their €30million (£26m) purchase option.

Instead, Barcelona spent around €70m (£59m) to sign Gordon from Newcastle United, believing the England international offered the intensity and profile Flick wanted from his wide players.

Deco stressed that Barcelona's decision was not a reflection of Rashford's performances.

"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."

Barcelona had identified a noticeable drop in intensity whenever Raphinha was unavailable last season and wanted another winger capable of bringing similar energy.

"We needed more intensity," Deco explained. "We analysed a lot of wingers."

Although recruiting Gordon from the Premier League presented financial difficulties, Flick was reportedly clear about the type of player he wanted.

That ultimately convinced Barcelona to pursue Gordon rather than retain Rashford.

The early evidence suggests Gordon is adapting quickly to his new surroundings.

The 25-year-old is yet to score for Barcelona but has already produced five assists in his opening five appearances, immediately establishing himself as an important creative outlet.

His energetic performances have also made an impression on supporters, with Gordon's name being chanted during Barcelona's 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano.

For Flick, however, the attraction goes beyond goals and assists. Gordon's pressing, direct running and intensity appear to provide precisely the characteristics Barcelona believed they were missing.

Deco also discussed Barcelona's unsuccessful pursuit of Bernardo Silva, who eventually joined Real Madrid.

According to the sporting director, finances were not the only obstacle. Silva wanted greater certainty regarding his playing time after being a regular at Manchester City.

"He wanted to come to Barça, but things didn't move forward because we have certain parameters," Deco said.

Barcelona were unwilling to provide those assurances because team selection remained Flick's responsibility.

That stance, combined with the decision to prioritise Gordon's specific profile over Rashford, provides a clearer picture of Barcelona's summer strategy: recruitment was shaped not simply around reputation or previous performances, but around exactly what their new coach wanted.

Gordon's productive start has provided early justification for Barcelona's decision, but the comparison with Rashford will inevitably continue given the latter's success in Catalonia.

The bigger test will be whether Gordon can sustain his creative output while adding goals of his own as Flick's Barcelona compete for domestic and European honours.