In seven days the club would have to sell 75,715 pies to cover Radamel Falcao’s hefty £260,000 weekly wage, and therefore it comes as little surprise that those less patient Manchester United fans are calling for the Colombian’s head.
Signed on a season-long loan deal from AS Moncao, the Red Devils have the option to sign Falcao for £43.5 million at the end of the season. But the striker, who missed the World Cup due to knee ligament damage, has had limited impact during his £6 million loan deal so far, due partly to injury.
Having scored just four goals in 14 Premier League appearances, it’s fair to say the twice-Europa league winner is a long way off his former best. Indeed, the days of FC Porto and Atletico Madrid, for whom he cut a god-like figure, seem a very long time ago. Falcao boasts a frightening reputation, earned through hard-work and determination throughout the entirety of his career.
Following an impressive spell with Argentine outfit River Plate, the talented Colombian found himself snapped up by Primeira Liga side Porto in 2009 to replace outgoing star Lisandro Lopez. His impact was immediate, as he fast became one of Portuguese football’s most clinical strikers, netting 34 goals in all competitions.
Falcao’s form continued to improve over the next few seasons and after a blistering 2010-11 campaign, which saw his remarkable tally of 17 goals in 14 Europa League games break Jurgen Klinsmann’s European scoring record of 15 and fire Porto to glory in the competition, he soon established himself as one of the world football’s most formidable centre-forwards.
A €40 million switch to La Liga with Atletico Madrid ensued, for whom he scored 36 goals, including 12 in Europe, in an electric debut season. Undeterred by the pressure of being the most expensive player in the club’s history, he became the first player to win two consecutive Europa League titles with two different teams.
Nonetheless, his triumphs were far from over with Atletico. He signed off in style, with an equally impressive second – and final – season for the club. Falcao began the campaign with a magnificent hat-trick in his side’s 4-1 UEFA Super Cup victory over Chelsea, before inspiring Atletico to a win over fierce rivals Real Madrid for the first time in 14 years to seal the Copa del Rey.
Highlighted as the potential embodiment of Monaco’s rise to the highest reaches of European football – a transition that has ultimately failed to materialize – Falcao made the move to the principality in the summer of 2013 in a deal worth an estimated &eur;60 million. The Colombian’s single season in France saw him score on his Ligue 1 debut against Bordeaux before contributing with a further 10 goals in his next 18 appearances.
Nonetheless, disaster struck, as an anterior cruciate injury, sustained in January during a Coupe de France match against minnows Monts d’Or Azergues Foot, ensured he missed the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil; a heart-breaking realisation.
Meanwhile, his subsequent rehabilitation has resulted in a less than assured start in the English top flight. Falcao has shown brief glimpses of excellence throughout his first seven months at Old Trafford. It’s evident that he can use both feet and is imperious in the air despite only being 5′ 10”; he also boasts pace, excellent attacking movement and impressive technique. Arguably, the only aspect lacking from his game is goals.
Fans are yet to see the infallible composure in front of goal that Falcao has become renowned for throughout his career, as, unfortunately for the Colombian, the chances have fallen few and far between. Even the most casual observer of the modern game will agree that the striker’s scoring deficiencies have transpired from fortunate goalkeeping and a genuine lack of opportunities.
In fact, Falcao has managed just 21 shots at goal all season – that’s just over one per match – from which he has hit the target an impressive 71 per cent of the time. It is also far fairer to judge the player on the games in which he has started, rather than those appearances he has made as a substitute. He has been involved in seven league goals (four goals and three assists) in nine starts for the Red Devils. In truth, the statistics ain’t that bad!
By comparison with Angel Di Maria, a man who also demands substantial wages, and a significant transfer fee to match – £59.7 million to be precise – Falcao’s performances have not been too far off the mark. The Argentine has only contributed to nine goals (three goals and six assists) in 15 appearances this season, despite averaging more than 20 minutes of extra playing time than his Colombian teammate, per game.
Falcao notched his fourth goal of the season in United’s 3-1 victory over Leicester City, the weekend just gone. This was by no means the most inspirational of strikes, but he showed excellent desire and movement before scrambling the ball into the back of the empty net. He was afforded just the single opportunity against the Foxes and he failed to disappoint, despatching with ease.
During the Dutchman’s post-match interview, Louis Van Gaal admitted Falcao has been in greater needed of a goal than club top scorer Robin Van Persie, who opened the scoring against Leicester.
“I am more happy that Falcao was scoring because Robin has already scored enough goals. Falcao needs that goal more than Robin. It is fantastic that they scored – and beautiful goals also,” the Dutchman said.
Clearly there is a genuine desire among the Old Trafford coaching staff, the players and even the majority of fans, to see Radamel Falcao succeed as a United player. Of course, there are those advocating for Falcao’s dismissal upon the expiry of his loan agreement this summer, but for the most-part, the feeling towards the Colombian is overwhelmingly positive.
But ultimately, it is the opinion of one man that matters the most – Van Gaal. The overseers at United have given the Dutch head coach huge room for manoeuvre – especially financially – since his arrival, and the chances are this will continue to be the case. Just as long as Van Gaal is able to maintain the club’s push for Champions League qualification.
Yes, Falcao’s time in England has largely seen the striker fail to live up to the reputation that proceeds him, but this is not to say he cannot return to former glory. Falcao has recovered from a career threatening injury twice previously, and on both occasions has comeback more prolific than ever – a sentiment that should fill the Old Trafford faithful with hope.
£43.5 million is a substantial outlay for any club, but relatively unconstrained by Financial Fair Play regulations – for now at least – it is a gamble United can afford to make; especially if it pays dividends. Falcao is a player with world class ability, it is just a question of whether or not Van Gaal envisages the 28-year-old as the man to lead his new-look team to glory.
The glass-half-full view suggests that there’s more to come from Falcao; the half-empty view is that a series of leg injuries have cost this guy his “edge” and is no longer the lethal predator of three/four/five years ago. Arguments can be made for each view but the stark reality is that 46 million quid and a huge weekly salary probably tips the balance against the gamble – if he was 23/24 and was likely to be in his prime for the next four/five years then such a gamble would not be unreasonable. But he’s 28/29 and has had a series of injuries stretching back over the last ten years which has to be balanced against a very, very impressive resume WHEN he has been healthy.
I’m probably in a minority but I think that spending that kind of money on a rather short guy whose best calling card is his desire would be the footballing equivalent of Gresham’s Law – throwing good money after bad. For that kind of money, UTD could probably buy two of their three key needs – a controlling central defender, a box-to-box hard bastard for the midfield to complement Blind/Herrera, and a blistering outside forward (not necessarily a “winger”) who can stretch defences and provide space/time for Di Maria, Adnan, and TheWayneBoy to “create”
I have no clue as to which of the likely-lads LvG has identified for this summer’s splash-the-ca$h nor do I have any secret information about what kind of formation the manager is aiming to implement but I do think that insofar as this season has been all about “Rooney and ten others” experimentation, Falcao has had a very limited impact and it seems unreasonably-optimistic to believe that his on-again/off-again career is now going to settle into some sort of best-case scenario.
It’s not been easy for any of the attacking players to flourish under Van Gaal’s regime. If Di Maria was on a similar season-long ‘lease to buy’ contract, plenty would be questioning the merit of paying close to sixty million for him at the end of the season, and he hasn’t suffered any major injuries.
It would take an extraordinarily stellar second half of the season for Falcao to have any chance of being signed permanently, and even then I really don’t think Van Gaal wants him, so my view is that he will be gone.
i do think Falcao is a good player but most of the times i see him play he has problems with is instinct. He dosent knw which leg to hit d ball into the opponent net and before he realize the ball s either over the goal post or played right into the goalies safety hands. buh i dont think hes a good buy…only mayb if his wages can be cut down.
Both LVG and Falcao are to blame for his predicament. LVG for the way he has been using Falcao as a second striker behind RVP and Falcao for not having the required composure to put away the chances that have come his way. All his life at Porto, Athletico, Monaco and columbia he has been the lead striker in a 433 formation. But now he is being made to chase ball all over the field. Some thing must change. LVG must decide who he wants to lead his line. Uptil now playing RVP and Falcao hasn’t worked and i doubt if it will ever work.
LvG won’t dis-accommodate (!) RvP so that Falcao gets to lead-the-line. Notice that when RvP comes off for a KidWilson cameo that Falcao doesn’t lead the line.
too much pressure, on loan, always scored, huge wages , there’s an expectation, but prem is a different animal.
With the current set up and it’s lack of creativity, even a prolific goal scorer like Van Nistelrooy would be coming in for stick. You can’t blame the forwards for what’s (not) going on behind them – It’s not like they’re missing half a dozen sitters every game! This is all down to LvG’s negative tactics.
Falcoa has shown sum quality, not enough to justify his fee and wages tho, but tbh lvg seems to b puttin round pegs in square holes from the midfield up and hoping it works