International Goals a Bonus as Radamel Falcao Fights to Save Man Utd Career
Radamel Falcao is running out of time. Running out of time to earn the right to stay at Manchester United and running out of time to prove he belongs on an elite club.
There was a joke passed around on social media when he signed for United that the striker must have something against the Champions League.
He joined Atletico Madrid when they weren't in it, signed for Monaco when they weren't in it, and arrived at United when they hadn't qualified for the first time in more than 20 years.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
His season at Old Trafford has been so disappointing that the clubs looking at him this summer won't be playing Champions League football next season, either.
The hard truth for Falcao is he's fighting for his future. And not just at United. If Louis van Gaal and Ed Woodward choose not to extend his stay beyond the summer, Falcao will, of course, find another club. He's too good a player not to.
But there won't be a queue of top teams waiting to snap him up. Not unless he shows a drastic upturn in form between now and the end of the season. Even then, it might be too late.
He will at least return to Manchester this week with renewed belief and in some kind of form. He scored three goals in two games on international duty with Colombia. And even if they were against 104th-ranked Bahrain and 125th-ranked Kuwait, goals are goals for a striker.
His first task is to get back into Van Gaal's team. And after back-to-back wins over Tottenham and Liverpool, there's no guarantee. Even Angel Di Maria, British football's most expensive player, could only make the bench at Anfield.
If Falcao is going to find his feet at United, you would think it has to be now. Coming off the back of a successful trip with Colombia and rejoining a team that should be full of confidence heading into the Premier League run-in, there aren't many excuses left.
The harsh reality is, though, that it's gotten to the stage where he's not just fighting to stay at United. He's fighting to defend his reputation as one of the best players in the world.
He's running out of time, but rediscovering a glimmer of form with Colombia will not have hurt his cause. If he can do the same during United's last eight games, he might just get to stay at Old Trafford a little longer. More than that, he'll have proved, at least in part, that he belongs at the highest level.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
