Old Trafford door still open for Falcao, but he’ll have to get used to life on the bench
MANCHESTER United manager Louis van Gaal has left the door open for Falcao to stay at the club.
However, any deal would depend on the Colombian accepting he would not be a regular starter and United renegotiating the terms of his transfer with his parent club Monaco.
Van Gaal does not like senior strikers spending too much time on the bench and sold Danny Welbeck to Arsenal and allowed Javier Hernandez to join Real Madrid on loan last August for that reason.
But though Falcao has scored only four goals following a much-hyped loan move from Monaco on transfer deadline day in September, the Dutchman won’t give up on him yet.
United are not obliged to decide his future until May, though Van Gaal would only make the move permanent if the player and Monaco reduce their demands.
Falcao currently earns £265,000 a week and Monaco want a £43million fee if United decide to keep him.
Van Gaal first wants to assess whether Falcao, regarded as one of the world’s top strikers until suffering a serious knee injury last year, would be able to handle another year where he would be primarily a substitute rather than a regular starter.
‘A player cannot be out of the line-up season after season,’ the manager said. ‘You need the challenge as a player. That is why I said to Welbeck and Chicharito, goodbye.’
Falcao is likely to be involved in United’s game at Everton today after leading the line in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Chelsea but faces extra competition with Robin van Persie fit again after an ankle injury.
Van Persie plans to stay at Old Trafford next season and fight for his place, having dismissed the idea that the club want him to leave.
The Holland striker has a year left on his contract and Inter and Galatasaray are expected to make enquiries for him this summer.