Mundo Deportivo: Deco Anticipated Atletico Would Not Release Alvarez and Prepared Two Plans for Barcelona

According to Mundo Deportivo, Deco had long anticipated that Atletico Madrid would not easily let Julian Alvarez leave, so he prepared two key plans for Barcelona in advance.

Barcelona will not sign their top target of the summer, Julian Alvarez, but the club believes it has found sufficient solutions to strengthen the striker position. Gabriel Jesus joined at the last moment, becoming the final piece of a puzzle Deco had been planning for months, as he had already prepared for the possibility that the Argentine would not arrive at Barcelona.

Deco never hid within his inner circle the difficulty of taking Julian Alvarez away from Atletico Madrid. Therefore, while Barcelona kept the possibility of the deal alive, Deco was also looking for alternatives. Anthony Gordon was one of the players who particularly interested him.

Although Gordon's natural position is as a winger, Deco was especially impressed by his performances as a makeshift striker when analyzing Newcastle United's matches last season. Deco appreciates Gordon's understanding of the striker role, his movement, and his ability to switch easily between two different positions without affecting his performance.

From that point on, the work was carried out under complete secrecy. Deco contacted Gordon's team and traveled to London several times, eventually pushing the deal forward and completing it on May 27. While most attention from the outside world was focused on Julian Alvarez, Barcelona had already secured an alternative option.

Gordon is far more than just a winger.

Deco greatly appreciates the characteristics of the England player. He likes the player's explosiveness on the wing and his awareness of attacking runs, while also recognizing his positioning in central areas, his ability to drop back and help with build-up play. In addition, his height gives him tactical value in attacking crosses and scoring goals.

The sporting director had repeatedly conveyed a very clear idea to those around him: according to Flick's tactical needs, Gordon can play both as a winger and as a striker. This multi-position adaptability was one of the most important factors considered when the club decided to bring him in.

Barcelona prepared for any possible outcome regarding the signing of Julian Alvarez in this way. At the same time, the emergence of Hamza Abdelkarim became another viable option for the position. In the final weeks of the transfer window, the club understood that even if the major summer deal ultimately failed, there was no need to force a signing simply for the sake of making an addition.

Jesus, Deco's final ace young star.

The transfer business was not over. Jesus joined for a fee of 10 million euros, becoming a major surprise to emerge in the previous few hours. The Brazilian player signed a two-year contract with an option for an additional year, and Barcelona considers the deal an excellent market opportunity.

With limited financial resources, the potential return could be considerable if he returns to his best form. His arrival completed the squad structure; for most of the summer, the choice for this position seemed to depend entirely on the Little Spider's situation.

Ultimately, unless an unexpected change occurs, the Argentine player will remain at Atletico Madrid for another season. But Barcelona had already prepared for this possibility. They first brought in Gordon, who in Deco's view was far more than just a winger from the beginning. Hamza successfully established himself, and as the transfer window approached its close, Gabriel Jesus also joined the team.

Barcelona failed to sign the forward they had previously identified as their top target, but Deco had already prepared plans to avoid the team relying solely on Julian Alvarez, and this strategy had been initiated before the transfer window entered its final stage.