Deco explains why Barcelona chose Gordon over Rashford

Barcelona have explained their decision not to trigger the purchase option for Marcus Rashford.

Rashford, 28, spent last season on loan at the Camp Nou after his fallout with then-United head coach Ruben Amorim. He scored 14 goals and added 14 assists as Barcelona won La Liga and the Copa del Rey, and did enough to earn a recall to Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup. Barcelona held an option to sign him permanently for £30.3m. They chose not to use it, and the forward has gone back to Old Trafford, where he has been reintegrated into the first-team setup.

Instead, the money went on Anthony Gordon. Barcelona paid Newcastle United more than £69m for the winger, one of two big-money arrivals last summer alongside Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Sporting director Deco has now set out the thinking to Catalan radio station RAC1.

Deco said Barcelona lost intensity whenever Raphinha was missing from the side last season, and that Gordon was signed with exactly that gap in mind.

Deco added that Gordon's willingness to force the issue at Newcastle made the deal easier to complete. He called it "almost impossible" to sign players out of the Premier League but noted that head coach Hansi Flick was clear from the start about what he wanted. Gabriel Jesus has since arrived at Barcelona as a centre-forward option, joined in September and already off the mark with a goal.

Rashford leaves Catalonia with a Liga title and a cup winner's medal to show for his loan spell. For United, his return gives Carrick a forward who arrives with his form and his England place restored, even if the permanent move he wanted did not materialise.