Make no mistake, Radamel Falcao is not worth £43 million. That, however, is the amount Manchester United must pay AS Monaco to retain his services past season's end.
Falcao has 24 league appearances with United this campaign, boasting a pedestrian four goals and four assists. For those interested in taking out the calculators, that averages to a goal every 295.3 minutes. Not exactly the return United expected.
But according to the Daily Mirror (via Goal Transfer Talk), the Red Devils, who are unwilling to pay the aforementioned £43 million fee, are looking to extend his loan. Per the report, the club is attempting to keep Falcao past the summer transfer window and into January.
Just don't tell manager Louis van Gaal.
Following a 1-0 loss at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, the United boss slammed not just Falcao, but Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney as well.
"I'm missing a striker that scores," van Gaal said (via the Standard). "And any striker who scores-if it's van Persie or Falcao or Wayne Rooney who scores the goal-I'm very happy and the team is very happy."
With three consecutive scoreless performances, morale is clearly low at Old Trafford. United now run the risk of choking away the final Champions League spot to Liverpool, who sit just four points away with three matches remaining.
Someone must rise to the occasion to salvage what's left and if Falcao hopes to extend his stay in Manchester, it must be him.
Note: Credit all statistics to officially licensed data from Opta Sports (via WhoScored).
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