The Premier League champions and the richest club in the world, Manchester City, have yet to make any big signings this summer. Another one of their targets, Falcao from Atletico Madrid, is not for sale to anyone this summer, according to the Spanish club.
Falcao will remain at Atletico Madrid and any talk of an exit is misplaced. The club has very clear ideas on this. The striker will remain with us next season and we are not considering any other possibility. (Jose Luis Caminero, Atletico Madrid Sporting Director)
Pretty clear to me. But that doesn’t mean it’s shut down. It might mean, as it usually does – Show us the money. There isn’t a player on this planet without a price tag. Even Lionel Messi can be bought. It may take at least €150 million to pry him away from Barcelona, but if there’s someone willing to pay, there’s usually someone willing to sell.
Radamel Falcao GarcĂa Zárate is one of the most expensive players in history, purchased by Atletico from FC Porto for €40 million, which can grow to 47, depending on some performance-based clauses. Falcao has been lethal since arriving from South America, making Portugal and Porto his first stop after four years with River Plate.
Falcao joined Porto for €3.9 million, which in retrospect, is a joke of a sum. He might have landed in Lisbon and played for Benfica, but the club’s directors didn’t want to pay an extra €700,000 to Falcao, which landed him in North Portugal just before the 2009-2010 season. Two years later, and a tally for 72 goals in 85 matches, one league title and one Europa League title brought him to the La Liga.
Things haven’t changed much for the 26 year old, who enjoyed the same individual success playing for the small club in Madrid. He scored 24 league goals for Atletico, good enough for a fifth place finish in the league. But he also scored 12 Europa League Goals, including a brace in the final, leading Atletico to a 3-0 win and the trophy, facing Athletic Bilbao.
Falcao himself? He isn’t talking, but its hard to believe he’ll refuse Manchester City if Atletico stop standing in the way. Problem is, it might take one hefty sum to remove their inhibitions. City are a bit more cautious with their spending this summer, as the Eden Hazard saga revealed. Falcao, who’ll cost nothing less than €50 million, might be a bit out of reach at the moment.