Radamel Falcao flew into Manchester last night to seal a €7.5m season-long loan move to Manchester United in transfer deadline day's headline move. With the club agreeing to pay the striker a salary of €240,000 a week, the deal was set to cost United at least €20m, with the 20-times champions having an option to buy Falcao next summer from Monaco.
The 28-year-old had arrived at the club's AON Training Complex after 6pm, more than an hour later than his scheduled touchdown at Manchester Airport, before his medical and the discussion of personal terms.
As Falcao's salary is tax-free at Monaco and United denied they were matching his net take-home of €12.6m a year, it may be the French club agreed to pay the 50 per cent tax to ensure the striker will suffer no lost earnings. Manchester City and Arsenal, who were also offered Falcao by his agent, Jorge Mendes, were quoted the same numbers before they turned down the deal.
As the 11pm deadline approached United were hoping to get the move rubber-stamped and confirm Falcao as the latest addition to Louis van Gaal's squad. The forward's third-party ownership – he is listed on Doyen Sports website as a player the investment group has a stake in, as is his prospective new team-mate, Marcos Rojo – was thought to be a further obstacle to closing the loan.
If Falcao is confirmed as a United player for the season, it would take United's summer spend to more than €190m. Falcao has recently returned from a serious knee injury that ruled him out of Colombia's World Cup campaign and his proposed signing is a further signal of United's intent to regain a Champions League place, at the very least.
United had been considering a move for Falcao since Van Gaal’s arrival at the club, but had not thought of his signing as a priority. However, with interest from City and Arsenal building, United moved to secure the Colombian.
With Van Gaal playing a two-striker system that has Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie as the first-choice forwards, how Falcao fits into the side is yet to be determined. The manager may feel that given Van Persie's chequered injury record he requires another elite striker in Falcao. Van Gaal may also decide to change the formation to 4-3-3 that would have Van Persie, Falcao and Rooney up front or move the latter into midfield.
Impending arrival
Falcao’s impending arrival triggered the departure of
Javier Hernandez
, with
Real Madrid
confirming the move to Spain on a season-long loan. As with Falcao, Real have first-buying option on the Mexican at the end of the season.
On a busy day for United, the club confirmed that Daley Blind had passed his medical and agreed personal terms to officially join. The 24-year-old utility player is expected to be fielded mainly as a holding player and is also able to operate as a left-sided defender.
A statement said: “Manchester United is delighted to announce that Daley Blind has completed his transfer for a fee of €17.7m. Daley joins on a four-year contract with the option to extend for a further year.”
Blind said: "It is a real honour to sign for Manchester United. I have been at Ajax since I was seven years old and I will always have very fond memories of the club and of my time there.
“Louis van Gaal is a tremendously talented coach, I have worked with him at Ajax and also for the Netherlands national team and I cannot wait to work with him at the biggest club in the world.”
Van Gaal said: “I am delighted Daley has signed for the club. He is a very intelligent and versatile footballer that can play in many positions.”
While the striker Danny Welbeck was in talks over a potential move to Arsenal, Tom Cleverley was understood to be interesting Everton. Aston Villa had also wanted to take the midfielder yet, with the 24-year-old earning a basic of £30,000 a week plus lucrative add-ons, Cleverley was thought to favour a move to Goodison Park if the terms were attractive. Guardian Service
