Manchester United Transfer News: Rumours on Radamel Falcao, David De Gea

Real Madrid are reportedly ready to pounce on Radamel Falcao should Manchester United decide not to turn the Colombian international's loan into a permanent transfer, according to the latest rumours.

The Daily Mail's Rob Draper believes it's unlikely the Red Devils will keep the striker beyond the current campaign, but Monaco vice-president Vasim Vasilyev remains adamant there are plenty of other clubs interested in his services:

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It’s up to Manchester United to take a decision but I’m not worried for him because we have interest from other big clubs.

Sometimes it’s just little thing that matter in football. When the technical quality is there, the mentality is there, sometimes it’s just the confidence of the coach or just little details. We tend to overreact if somebody doesn’t do well for a few years.

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The 29-year-old joined United on loan at the end of the summer transfer window and was widely expected to become a regular starter and smash hit at Old Trafford once he had fully recovered from a knee injury.

Things haven't exactly gone according to plan, however, and as this statistic from KICKTV shows, even some defenders are scoring more than the Colombian at this point:

Falcao doesn't appear to be a particularly good fit for Louis van Gaal's philosophy, and a lack of confidence has taken its toll on his performances. He looks out of sorts on the pitch, unable to take advantage of the spaces when they're there.

The Manchester Evening News' Rob Dawson thinks things aren't looking up for Falcao's future at the club:

United's initial investment to bring the star in on loan was a steep one, but despite that, it seems unlikely the Red Devils will trigger the clause to make the move permanent and would rather cut their losses and move on.

As shared by ESPN FC, there are even rumours the club has already identified a potential replacement, Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski:

Falcao's nightmare season likely means his asking price on the open market will drop, and while his form is cause for concern, it wouldn't be a surprise if Real decided to take a chance on the former La Liga star.

Perhaps Los Blancos believe he will regain his scoring boots when he's surrounded by elite attacking talent, and thanks to the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and a host of other stars, the pressure on his shoulders would be far less.

Los Blancos are linked with another United star, and reports David De Gea wants a release clause in his new contract are far more unsettling than Falcao's potential exit. According to AS (h/t Metro's Simon Osborn), the star goalkeeper wants the clause to be as little as £22.2 million:

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Spanish newspaper AS are reporting the player has demanded the club include the relatively modest release clause to keep alive his dream move to Real Madrid.

The European champions are understood to be keen on bringing Madrid-born De Gea back to Spain as a long-term replacement for Iker Casillas.

The website reports that while United have no issue with a release clause in principle, they are looking for a figure close to the £40m mark.

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Fans shouldn't panic just yet, however. AS is a Madrid-based newspaper, so it will gladly report Real are inching ever closer to getting their man.

The fact De Gea still hasn't signed a new deal is cause for concern, though. Talks have been ongoing for months, but the reports coming out of Old Trafford are always the same. This fan aptly described how most of the United faithful are probably feeling:

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Waiting for De Gea to sign a new contract #mufc https://t.co/jAxidONQZX

— Jamie (@HearYanitedSing) February 10, 2015"

If reports of the buyout clause are real, United may just as well sell the star stopper in the summer. The fee mentioned is ridiculously low for one of the world's best young goalkeepers, and if De Gea is truly adamant on the clause, it's clear he intends to leave the club at some point.

But as with every rumour linking De Gea to Madrid that has surfaced in the past month, it's difficult to place it until the player or his agent actually comment. The only real information we have is the lack of a signature on a new deal, and until he signs or someone speaks publicly on the matter, all we can do is wait.

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