Having flopped at Manchester United, Radamel Falcao could be forgiven for thinking that his time in the Premier League was over. But Jose Mourinho has reportedly decided to offer him a second chance by bringing him to Stamford Bridge on a lucrative loan deal.
The 29-year-old is currently in Chile, playing in the Copa America with his home nation Columbia, but a loan deal is expected to be announced soon. Falcao scored just 4 goals in 29 appearances for Manchester United, resulting in the Red Devils rejecting a chance to sign him for £43.2 million.
Falcao gained a reputation as one of the fiercest attackers in the world when he scored 72 goals in two season for Porto before following that up with another 70 goals in two seasons at Atletico Madrid, earning him a £50 million move to Monaco.
He was rocked by injury during his time at Monaco, though, and a knee problem meant he was forced to miss out on the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. It was felt during his time at Manchester United that he had never fully recovered from that injury, and that he lacked the pace and sharpness to make a real impression on the fast and furious world of the Premier League.
Chelsea are looking for an experienced striker, however, having released Didier Drogba for the second time. The 37-year-old was welcomed back as a conquering hero when he returned to Stamford Bridge in 2014, having previously hit the penalty that won the Blues the Champion’s League against Bayern Munich in 2012.
He played more games last season than he might have originally anticipated, with Diego Costa picking up numerous injuries throughout the year, but he was only ever going to be at the Bridge for one final fling. So the move for Falcao isn’t a complete surprise from the Portuguese boss.
The potential arrival of Falcao does put Loic Remy’s position at Chelsea under some scrutiny, given that the forward became third choice at Stamford Bridge last season behind Drogba and Costa. The 28-year-old is to seek assurances from Mourinho, whose instinct is to try and keep hold of the striker. Remy will want to play, however, and West Ham, Crystal Palace and Newcastle are all considering making an offer for the Frenchman.
Mourinho is keen to get a deal for Falcao signed off as soon as possible, telling DirecTV Sports, “It hurts me that people in England think that the real Falcao is the one we saw at Manchester United. If I can help Falcao reach his level again, I will do it”. Expect a deal to be announced soon.