Gordon's World Cup struggles leave Barcelona questioning £69m choice over Rashford

Barcelona’s decision to sign Anthony Gordon for £69.3 million rather than retain Marcus Rashford on a permanent basis is drawing scrutiny in Spain after Gordon produced another flat performance for England in their goalless draw with Ghana in Boston on Tuesday.

Gordon, who completed his move from Newcastle to Barcelona earlier this summer, was handed a second consecutive start by Thomas Tuchel despite a muted showing against Croatia. He again struggled to impose himself, making way for Bukayo Saka on 65 minutes. Rashford, by contrast, had to wait until the 83rd minute before replacing Noni Madueke from the bench.

Spanish outlet La Vanguardia was blunt in its assessment, describing Gordon’s display as “lacklustre” and noting that “as against Croatia, the winger failed to make a significant impact on the game. Although he was more involved in the play, he was imprecise in some of his dribbling, and his assists, while more purposeful, were wasted.”

The contrast with Rashford’s loan record at Barcelona makes the comparison sharper. The 28-year-old contributed 14 goals and 14 assists during his season-long spell at the Nou Camp, helping the club win La Liga, before the Catalans opted against triggering a permanent deal.

England’s draw with Ghana — a goalless deadlock despite dominating possession — was enough to keep qualification for the last 32 on course, but the performance raised fresh questions about Tuchel’s left-wing options and the relative merits of his two candidates for the role.

With Barcelona having moved on, Rashford’s immediate future remains unresolved. He is set to return to Manchester United once the World Cup concludes, though his long-term prospects at Old Trafford appear limited. Tottenham have been linked with a move, according to The i Paper, though United’s reported £40 million valuation and Rashford’s weekly wage of around £325,000 — even accounting for the reduced terms he accepted at Barcelona — represent significant hurdles for any potential suitor.