Updated: 11 May 2026 16:53 BST |
5 min read
Marcus Rashford has confirmed that he wants to move to Barcelona on a permanent basis after scoring a goal that helped Hansi Flick’s side secure La Liga with a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in El Clasico.
Rashford netted spectacularly early in the game from a free kick to give Los Blancos a crucial advantage over their rivals, who came into the match in a state of crisis.
It was the first time that Barcelona had scored direct from a free kick since October 2024, with the on-loan Manchester United star given the responsibility as Lamine Yamal was missing due to injury. The strike was also the first direct free kick scored by the Blaugrana in El Clasico since Messi netted for the Catalans in 2012.
His overall performance, meanwhile, was one that was described by Mundo Deportivo as “very good” and has the potential to make Barcelona rethink his status at the club.
The Catalans may have agreed personal terms with Rashford over a permanent move, but they have so far been unwilling to meet the €30 million purchase option in their loan deal with Man Utd. This is despite the fact that the 28-year-old has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) worth €38.5m.
Rashford: If I were a magician, I’d stay at Barcelona
And Rashford has made it clear that he wants to complete the deal.
Speaking after El Clasico, he said: “I don’t know if I’m going to stay. If I were a magician, I’d stay.
“I came to Barcelona to win and my intention is to keep winning. The team is incredible. This team is going to win many things in the future and being able to be a part of it would be very special.”
Barcelona’s confidence in Rashford is clear as they asked him to play in a relatively unfamiliar position on the right of the attack – and he admits that he had to be talked into taking the free kick from which he scored.
“I wasn’t going to take it. I couldn’t see the angle and I didn’t know where to shoot, but then everyone told me to take it and that encouraged me and gave me confidence. In the end, it was a great goal,” he said.
Stam wants Rashford back at Man Utd
Former Man Utd centre-back Jaap Stam, meanwhile, has called on the attacker to return to Old Trafford, where he departed a year ago due to his frosty relationship with manager Ruben Amorim.
“I would like to see him back. I think it’s also good because if you look at the squad now, okay, they’ve made some great transfers and brought some great players in, but you need to have some extra quality, I think, also in the wing positions, too, when something happens, when there are injuries, when there are suspensions, or when somebody is not in good shape,” he told ComeOn.
“Marcus would be a very good asset for the team. Marcus Rashford also has Champions League experience. The only thing that a lot of people always talk about, and we said it with Michael Carrick as well, is experience.”
Interim manager Michael Carrick has gone public to state that there will be a role for Rashford available if he returns, but equally there has been serious speculation over a move to Aston Villa or Tottenham.
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