This column isn't about a knock on Rashford. There's still a player in there, though at 28 years of age we're now basically talking about the finished article. In approach. In style. What we see now with Marcus Rashford is what you'll get for the remainder of his career.
But as we say, this isn't about Marcus Rashford. This move and the way he has kicked off his Barca career is a triumph for Gordon and his approach. The ability is there. The pace also. But what he offers - and what convinced Hansi Flick - more than anything else is his 'garra'. That aggression and energy. That attitude. The electricity that has defences - and coaches - on their back foot, whether his team is in possession or chasing things down. Gordon is always alert. He's always 'on it'. And that's what his new Barca coach, Flick, was attracted to, along with the Blaugrana's sporting director, Deco.
It's that edge. The Keegan-esqe energy. Again, like with Rashford, ability-wise you can't compare Gordon with Kevin Keegan. But he does have the same all-action aggression that made Mighty Mouse famous during the '70s and '80s.
Presence. Body language. Gordon has it. Always alive to an opportunity. Always willing to chase down lost causes. And then backing it up with real skill, pace and power. This is what convinced Barca to outbid Bayern Munich for the former Newcastle United winger. Flick, as soon as he heard his old employers were chasing Gordon, implored Deco and Barca president Joan Laporta not to let the Scouser move to Munich without a fight.
Indeed, this column was told over the summer that Gordon's greatest champion inside the Ciutat Esportiva was Flick. The German spoke enthusiastically about the winger after both of Barca's games against the Toon last season. Flick, from the touchline, had had his first experiences of Gordon up close - and came away impressed.
In England, they didn't see it. Some still don't.
Jamie O'Hara, the former Tottenham midfielder, said during the summer's World Cup: "I don't care what anyone else says... You can't let Gordon start ahead of Rashford. Rashford is a better player than Gordon."
Ex-United captain Roy Keane holds a similar view: "If you're comparing the two of them, Rashford and Gordon at their very best, I'm going for Rashford. He can still frustrate you, of course, but he's a threat and when he's on top form he is a handful. You wouldn't want to face him."
But for Gordon, you can also argue for Raphinha. A similar player at a similar club in Leeds United. No-one inside the English game expected the Brazilian to reach the heights he since has with Barca. But the scouts and decision-makers inside La Masia saw qualities their peers in England didn't. And again, among those attributes, was Raphinha's 'garra'.
It's what this column first noticed when we were sent clips of a young Scouse lad making a name for himself inside Everton's U21 team. At Finch Farm, the debate was raging. Was he ready? Could he make the big step? And the biggest question of all, if given this chance, could Gordon produce consistently?
In the meantime, we were sent clips from Tom Owens' renowned soccer school on Merseyside of this young lad from Everton. Of course, Gordon displayed great skill, flair, pace. But what struck most was the intensity that he did every drill. Of course, Owens was there every step of the way, demanding better, demanding quicker. And Gordon took it on. It was the player's intensity, more than anything else, that left you thinking, 'yeah, this one has a chance'.
And that same intensity, more than anything, displayed on the sodden pitches of Owens' soccer school has taken Gordon to a World Cup and to Barcelona. Deco, just last week, gave us all an insight of why they went for Gordon over Rashford. The Portuguese even admitting that money, in the end, wasn't the decisive factor. It was something else... "energy".
"We are extremely grateful to Rashford," the sporting director declared on RAC-1. "He contributed a lot last season, but our idea of play is much more linked to Anthony. His style fits with what the coach is looking for.
"We see every training session and analyse the team. 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.
"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."
More than anything else, what swung this move for Gordon was his 'garra'. He's not South American, but Gordon plays like one. Deco's words pretty much confirm that.
For Rashford, as we said, at his age, what you see is now what you get. He has that match-winning ability. He boasts those natural attributes. But he doesn't have the 'garra'. Deco's words, "we see every training session", is proof of that. Though to be fair, Rashford has been a presence in his appearances so far for United this season. He's looked the part. The aggression. The threat. Rashford has shown it. He has lifted Manchester United's attack when given the chance by his manager, Michael Carrick.
But this has been in fleeting moments off the bench. Can he do it over 90 minutes? Can he produce a performance where he is constantly involved, consistently connected to the flow of a game? That's the one major doubt hanging over Rashford's career.
For Gordon, no such doubts exist. Hansi Flick, everytime he turns to his summer signing, knows what he'll get. On the odd day, the ball may not stick. The passing may be wayward. But Gordon will give you effort, energy and a presence that keeps the opposition on their toes.
And beyond skill and ability, such an attitude - in this game - can take you as far as Camp Nou.