Marcus Rashford gave Manchester United fans a painful reminder of what they're missing on Sunday, May 10, when he stepped onto the Camp Nou pitch against Real Madrid in LaLiga. The English forward, who left Old Trafford last summer after a strained relationship with former head coach Ruben Amorim, has been on a season-long loan at Barcelona.

This weekend, Rashford earned a spot in Barcelona's starting XI for the highly anticipated El Clásico. Just nine minutes into the match, the 28-year-old stepped up to take a free-kick and buried it into the back of the net—a moment that sent shockwaves through the football world. It was the first free-kick goal scored by a Barcelona player in El Clásico since Lionel Messi did it in 2012. The strike set the tone for a dominant 2-0 victory, which also secured the LaLiga title for the Catalans. For Rashford, this marks his second trophy with Barcelona, following the Supercopa de España triumph earlier this year.

It's been a remarkable turnaround for a player who was deemed surplus to requirements at United under Amorim. Rashford was first linked with a move to Camp Nou back in January last year, but instead joined Aston Villa on loan. Despite an impressive stint at Villa Park, it wasn't enough to change the minds of United's decision-makers, who invested heavily in their attack. That opened the door for Barcelona, and Rashford's temporary move has proven to be a masterstroke.

Since joining the Spanish champions, the former Red Devils academy graduate has racked up 14 goals and 14 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions, with 24 of those being starts. His form has been electric, but a return to Old Trafford is reportedly no longer on the cards. Barcelona have an option to make the move permanent for €30 million at the end of the season, though recent reports suggest they're pushing for a lower fee.

Former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has now weighed in on the situation, and his advice is clear. Speaking to AS, Koeman said Barcelona cannot afford to pass up the opportunity to sign Rashford for a bargain price this summer. "If Barcelona let him return to Manchester United after this loan, it would be a huge mistake," Koeman stated. "He has proven his quality at the highest level, and at this price, it's a deal you simply can't ignore."

For fans of both clubs, this saga is far from over, but one thing is certain: Rashford's resurgence in Spain has made him one of the most talked-about players in European football this season.