It was a night to remember in El Clásico, and for Barcelona loanee Marcus Rashford, it might have been the performance that seals his future at the Camp Nou.
The Manchester United forward opened the scoring with a clinical strike in a commanding 2-0 victory—a win that not only silenced the Bernabéu but also delivered the La Liga title to the Catalan giants. And according to former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman, letting Rashford slip away now would be a massive mistake.
Speaking to AS, Koeman didn't hold back. "If Barcelona lets him return to Manchester United after this loan, I think they will regret it immensely. Because €30 million in the current market for a player with these characteristics, these numbers, this experience… that's a steal."
And he's got a point. Rashford has been a revelation since arriving on loan, bringing pace, power, and a relentless attacking edge that has terrorized defenses across Spain. But it was his performance against Real Madrid that truly turned heads.
"Rashford hurts teams. Madrid looked terrified every time he turned and ran. Against Real Madrid, he completely destroyed them on the counter-attack," Koeman added. "That speed, the aggression, the directness, the confidence—Madrid couldn't handle him. Every time Barcelona advanced, he was the danger."
Indeed, the England international was a constant thorn in Madrid's side, stretching the defensive line, creating numerical advantages, pressing relentlessly, and getting in behind at every opportunity. His free kick in El Clásico was the cherry on top of a performance that left fans and pundits alike in awe.
Yet, despite his heroics, Barcelona are reportedly hesitant to trigger his €30 million buy option. Koeman finds this baffling. "He scores a free kick in El Clásico, stretches the entire defensive line, creates numerical advantages, presses, gets in behind the defense, and yet there are people within the club who hesitate to pay €30 million? That seems insane to me."
With his loan deal expiring at the end of the season, Rashford has made no secret of his desire to stay. But as the summer window approaches, the question remains: will Barcelona seize the opportunity to keep a player who has already proven he can deliver on the biggest stage? Or will they let a "steal" slip through their fingers?