Barcelona sporting director Deco said the club signed Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford because he fits the team’s style of play better.
Rashford scored 14 goals for Barça last season as they won LaLiga and the Spanish Supercopa, but the Spanish champions opted against taking up a €30 million ($34.8m) option to make the deal permanent.
Instead, Barça spent €70m ($81.3m) to bring in Gordon as their new left winger from Newcastle United.
“We are extremely grateful to Rashford,” Deco said in an interview with RAC1 on Thursday.
“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.”
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Gordon, 25, is yet to open his account for Barça bit has laid on five assists in his first five games for the club.
He has been well received by supporters, who chanted his name during a recent 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano, and Deco says they targeted the England international over other options because of his energy.
“We see every training session and analyse the team,” Deco added when asked why Barça went for Gordon.
“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.
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“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 was one of six first team signings this summer, along with Rodri, João Cancelo, Karim Adeyemi, Gabriel Jesus and Dominik Livaković.
One player who didn’t join was Bernardo Silva, who instead signed for Clásicorivals Real Madrid, with Deco saying a possible move to Barça broke down over different ideas about playing time.
“He wasn’t what we were looking for in the end,” Deco explained. “I love him. He’s one of the best in the world in his position.
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“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 touched on Barça’s failed pursuit of Julián Álvarez, insisting the club conducted themselves well and denying they asked him to publicly express a desire to leave Atlético Madrid.
The former Portugal international said Barça had offered €100m ($116m) for the Argentine payable in three instalments, but that at no point to Atlético show a desire to negotiate.
Away from signings, Deco touted Lamine Yamal to win the Ballon d’Or and questioned the exclusion of Raphinha and Pedri from the 30 nominees for the coveted individual prize earlier this week.
“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.”
