Barcelona sporting director Deco has explained why the club signed Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United for £70million this summer rather than keeping Marcus Rashford, saying Gordon was the "best fit" to bring energy to Hansi Flick's squad.
Gordon joined Barcelona just weeks after playing for England at the World Cup and has made a fast start in Spain, recording five assists in four LaLiga appearances.
Barcelona had the option to sign Rashford permanently for £26million after his loan spell at the club last season, but chose Gordon instead, sending the Manchester United forward back to Old Trafford ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.
Speaking to Marca on Thursday about the club's transfer strategy, Deco said Barcelona had identified a specific weakness in the team the previous season.
"One of the things we saw that was difficult last year was the fact that, when we were without Raphinha, the team's energy seemed to drop," Deco said. "We looked at many wingers, but signing players in the Premier League is almost impossible, you see the figures involved. He was the profile that best fit. The great advantage is that the players are excited to come to our project."
Deco's comments point to Raphinha's importance to Flick's attack and explain why Barcelona prioritised a direct, high-tempo winger like Gordon over keeping Rashford, who had operated in a more varied forward role during his loan spell.
Barcelona's summer spending spree
Barcelona won LaLiga last season and reinforced Flick's squad heavily over the summer, bringing in Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Gabriel Jesus and Karim Adeyemi alongside Gordon in a spree reported at around £150million.
The outlay appears to be paying off early. Barcelona currently sit top of LaLiga after winning all four of their matches so far this season, and they beat Feyenoord 5-1 in their opening Champions League fixture of the campaign on Wednesday.
Julian Alvarez pursuit falls flat
Despite the strengthened squad, Barcelona also tried and failed to sign Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez during the window.
Asked for his verdict on the saga, Deco said he did not want to discuss it further. "We did things right. We sent them an offer, but there was no response. There's been more talk in the press than reality," he said.
He added that Barcelona president Joan Laporta had already explained that he spoke with Atletico Madrid respectfully and clearly, and said the episode reflected "social pressure" rather than reality. Deco said Barcelona had not told Alvarez to publicly express a desire to leave Atletico Madrid, and drew a comparison with his own playing career, recalling that the president of Porto once refused to let him leave for Barcelona immediately, asking him to stay a year first. Deco said he stayed, focused on playing well, and was eventually able to move to the club he wanted.
Rashford reclaims his place at Manchester United
Rashford, who left Manchester United under acrimonious circumstances when he joined Barcelona on loan last year, has quickly earned the trust of manager Michael Carrick since his return.
He started Manchester United's 5-2 win over Ipswich Town and their 2-2 draw with Everton, having begun the season on the substitutes' bench against Hull City.
What's next
Manchester United face Azerbaijani side Sabah in the Champions League on Thursday night, while Gordon and Barcelona travel to face Levante in their next LaLiga fixture on Sunday.
