Spanish publication Sport called him "a striker in the shadows." A former coach admitted he was "unstoppable with space." But in October 2023, Marc Guiu became a Barcelona cult hero overnight, a 17-year-old who had salvaged a result for his team within seconds of emerging into their consciousness and was being tipped to become a crucial part of the Blaugrana set-up for years to come.
Guiu wasted little time in introducing himself to the world that night against Athletic Club. Around 23 seconds, in fact. Where Ferran Torres and Joao Felix had failed, he succeeded, darting in behind the visitors' defence, taking one touch, before steering his shot off the leg of Unai Simon and into the net.
It was a goal that demonstrated everything Guiu is about. He is a player unlike modern La Liga strikers, an archetype that Spanish football rarely churns out. Guiu is strong, fast and direct, a physically gifted and ruthless No.9. This is not a link-up striker or false nine. Rather, Guiu is a potentially game-changing goal-scorer — something he showed in his Barca debut.
However, the chances of him becoming part of the furniture in Cataluyna are now over after Chelsea secured the signing of the Spanish striker after beating off competition from Bayern Munich and paying Guiu's €6 million (£5m/$6m) release clause.
With that in mind, GOAL takes a look at the potentially ruthless No.9 who could well now be seen as one who got away from Barca...