On transfer deadline day Manchester United complete the signing of AS Monaco forward Ramdamel Falcao on a sensational loan deal.
The former Atletico Madrid and Porto forward is one of the most feared striker’s in Europe, and will be hoping to rejuvenate Louis van Gaal’s new look Red Devils.
The Guardian recently published a comprehensive guide to the player, and here are ten key facts all United fans should know about their new signing:
1) Christened Radamel Falcao García Zárate, he was named after Brazilian football legend ‘Falcao’, who starred in the 1982 World Cup. His father was also a footballer. Radamel García was a tough and uncompromising Colombian defender in the 1970s and 1980s, and had an excellent mullet hairdo.
2) The superstar striker made his professional debut in 1999 for Lanceros Boyaca in the second tier of Colombian football, aged just 13. However, he almost signed for Ajax at aged 11. He was eventually picked up by River Plate at 15, earning the nickname ‘El Tigre’.
3) If he had not been a footballer he would have been a writer. In fact, before he was recruited to join the River’s youth academy, Falcao had begun journalism studies in at the University of Palermo in Buenos Aires.
4) Falcao’s career path could have gone somewhat differently. Aston Villa were interested in the player in 2008. Back when John Carew and Marlon Harewood were up top for the West Midlands club they spotted the young Colombian and make a bid, which was rejected.
5) Falcao would have signed for Porto’s rivals Benfica. But the club were reluctant to pay an additional €700,000 requested by the striker. Days later he moved to Porto, where he would net an incredible 62 goals in 69 games until his next move in the summer of 2011.
6) Falcao replaced Sergio Agüero at Atletico Madrid. After Manchester City had swooped for their star player Atletico bought Falcao for £35 million, making him the most expensive player in the club’s history. He went on to score 68 goals in 83 games, and led then-Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola to name him “the best forward in the world in the penalty box”.
7) He nearly signed for Chelsea before moving to Spain. When Andre Villas-Boas moved from Porto to Stamford Bridge he put pressure on the Blues board to take the forward, but they were not interested. They could have signed him for £25 million, apparently.
8) Falcao’s idol is Theirry Henry. Or so he said when he signed for AC Monaco last summer, inking a five-year contract worth around £15 million in wages a year. His goals cost Monaco almost £5 million each. In his injury-wrecked season in France he managed 11 goals in 17 appearances, which equates to £4.7 million per goal. He has a recurring knee injury that most recently underwent surgery earlier this year, causing him to miss Colombia’s World Cup campaign.
9) Falcao is a devbout Christian, and met his wife – Lorelei Taron – in a church in Buenos Aires. In fact he is leader of the church youth groups Locos por Jesus and Campeones para Cristo and has invested heavily in projects to help disadvantaged children in his native country
10) ‘Falcao vs Aliens’ is a genuine computer game, in which the striker has to fend off an extra-terrestrial invasion by scoring goals!
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