In the summer, Anthony Gordon traded Newcastle for Barcelona (Photo: Shutterstock) Barcelona made a surprise move in the summer by signing Anthony Gordon and turning down the chance to keep Marcus Rashford, with sporting director Deco explaining why. Rashford was on loan at Barca from Manchester United last season and played a significant role for them, making 49 appearances in all competitions and scoring 14 goals as they won La Liga. The Spanish giants could have made the temporary move permanent for just £26m at the end of last season but decided not to. Instead, they signed Gordon from Newcastle United for around £69 million and Rashford returned to Manchester United. Sign up for In The Mixer, Metro’s football newsletter. Get exclusive analysis and previews of the biggest games every Friday. Register now for free. It was something of a surprise move from Barcelona, but Deco offered an explanation for why they wanted one England winger rather than another. The former Portugal star made it clear that Gordon brings more intensity and energy, which is exactly what coach Hansi Flick was looking for. “We are extremely grateful to Rashford,” Deco told RAC1. “He made a big contribution last season, but our idea of the game is more about Anthony. His style matches what a coach is looking for. Marcus Rashford scored 14 goals on loan for Barcelona last season (Photo: Getty Images) “We see every training session and analyze the team. We have a clear idea of what we are looking for. One of the problems we had last season without Raphinha was that the team’s energy dropped. It was lost. “We needed more intensity. We have analyzed many wingers. Signing someone from the Premier League is almost impossible, but [Hansi Flick] he was clear what he wanted, and from that moment we started working on the deal.” Ask Metro Use AI to dig deeper into the stories you care about, powered by Metro and trusted publications. Gordon has already made five appearances for Barcelona, providing assists in La Liga victories over Elche, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia, but is still looking for his first goal. Rashford has returned to first-team duties for the Red Devils, starting two of Manchester United’s three Premier League games this campaign. Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon were England teammates at the World Cup (Photo: Getty Images) Deco also weighed in on another summer transfer saga: Bernardo Silva was linked with a move to Barcelona from Manchester City but ended up moving to Real Madrid. “In the end, he wasn’t what we were looking for. I love him. He is one of the best in the world in his position,” said Barça’s sporting director. “He wanted to go to Barca, but it didn’t go forward because we have certain parameters. It was not only a financial issue, but also playing time. “It’s not for me to decide whether he will play or not, it’s the coach’s decision. But after the game he had a different perception compared to us. [regularly] in the City. He wanted to play.” Arrow MORE: Premier League announces seven matches for Boxing Day Arrow MORE: Peter Crouch makes predictions for Manchester United vs Manchester City match Arrow MORE: Bayern Munich confirms transfer interest in Liverpool and Barcelona acquisitions Comment now Comments Add Metro as your preferred source on Google Add as preferred source Post navigation “No user data was affected” – Surfshark reveals details of September security incident Qantas passenger slams unclear dress code rules in lounges after she was refused UGG boots