Why Charlie Austin Is the Type of Striker to Complement Diego Costa

The logic behind Chelsea signing Radamel Falcao is clear: Ultimately, the Colombian has cost the club little in transfer fees‚ and his loan was a calculated risk by Jose Mourinho.

There's the option to buy Falcao from Monaco at the end of this season—the proverbial carrot for the player to rediscover the scoring touch that once made him the most feared striker on the continent.

If he does, Chelsea get an extremely talented footballer. Should he fail, the experiment has been relatively low risk.

On paper, Chelsea win either way. In practice, it's far different.

The problem with Falcao is his profile. Regardless of a poor showing at Old Trafford last season, it means he must be playing football matches for Chelsea.

Falcao is too big a name to be warming the bench. And if he does, it brings negative headlines and a focus on Chelsea that is neither needed nor desired.

Headlines don't win football matches, but they can do enough to damage the harmony of a club. That, in turn, damages performances, which impact results.

Negativity snowballs, and every manager tries their utmost to avoid it. Yes, even Mourinho.

There was much debate last term surrounding Falcao at Manchester United. Manager Louis van Gaal tinkered with his system at times to accommodate Falcao, but rarely got the best out of the Colombian.

By the end of the season he was a symbol of all that was wrong with the club's transfer policy. If things go a similar way at Chelsea, it's going to be the same.

The odds are already stacked against him, and how Falcao will fit in at Stamford Bridge remains to be seen.

Whereas it was once Falcao who was the senior striker at Atletico Madrid, it's his former team-mate, Diego Costa, who is the boss at Chelsea.

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The Spanish international is numero uno in west London, el hombre grande.

Chelsea don't need to be throwing another big ego into the mix, especially a player who was once their talisman's mentor.

Mourinho needs a proven striker to strengthen his options now that Didier Drogba has departed, but he doesn't need a player with ideas above his station.

Which Falcao most certainly is.

We know how good Falcao once was, and so does he. Unlike the player, however, we can view things more subjectively and without a personal interest.

Falcao will always consider himself a star. He's got the track record to prove it after all, but the reality is far different. It's only three years since he was at the top of his game, but football has moved on.

While he's been on the treatment table and struggling for fitness, new stars have emerged. There are players who are better than him now—Costa being one of them.

It's all well and good reminiscing on the glorious displays from seasons past, but what are they worth to Chelsea? Nothing, especially if Falcao doesn't repeat the form that made him the player he was.

Chelsea had to persevere with Fernando Torres for so long because of the size of his transfer fee and the hope he would return to the player they thought they signed.

In reality, the club needed to cut their losses with Torres and find a more suitable candidate.

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Now that Falcao is officially a Chelsea player, the naysayers will suggest Chelsea have put themselves in the same position. The only difference now is that they don't stand to lose £50 million.

Mourinho did well in his capture of Loic Remy from Queens Park Rangers last season. A year on, he could have done even better with Charlie Austin.

Remy has accepted his role at Chelsea. The Frenchman joined the club knowing he would be there to support Costa. Despite suffering injuries himself, he did a good job at that.

Indeed, Remy scored some vital goals throughout the campaign and played his part in Chelsea lifting the Premier League title.

He was a threat when he needed to be, and Chelsea got plenty from him when they needed it.

Austin would be the perfect foil to add to that.

Chelsea's system doesn't allow for Costa to play with a strike partner. Whenever we saw two front men on the pitch at the same time last season, it was always bad news. There was either an injury crisis or Mourinho was attempting to save a game.

When he was fit and not suspended, Costa started. Always.

He's among the Premier League's outstanding talents. Considering what he brings to this Chelsea team, there isn't a better player in the world than Costa at doing that right now.

Mourinho isn't trying to replace Costa this summer. He is attempting to make him stronger by forging a reliable backup plan.

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Reliability for a striker comes with goals. Mourinho needs someone capable of regularly finding the back of the net.

In a struggling QPR team, Austin scored 18 times in the Premier League last term. Without him, Rangers would have long been relegated before the humbling 6-0 match at Manchester City that sealed their fate in May.

Austin provided QPR with the image of being a threat—that they always had a chance with Austin on their side. The player deserves credit for that. It takes plenty of character to face the Premier League head on when everything is stacked against you.

QPR were on a hiding to none from the outset, although Austin broke the mould.

Like Costa, he's achieved in his career when it wasn't always expected. He hasn't been fancied, starting out in non-league football before working his way through the leagues to arrive in the top flight.

It's because of that that Austin is far from the attraction of Falcao. He's more industrious, a grafter, whereas Falcao is the sexy, slick Colombian who has done it at the top.

Austin's career is still on the rise; Falcao's, however, is in decline.

Both have plenty to prove but for different reasons. On one hand is a man desperate to show he can play among the elite, and on the other is one who must prove he still belongs there.

For the latter, history tells us it's difficult to accept the realisation that it's not the case. Falcao has done it before and will always believe he will do it again.

Will he accept being Costa's No. 2? He'll point to his past to suggest he shouldn't have to, whereas for Austin, the story reads differently.

As Petr Cech discovered to his detriment, there's only room for one first choice at Stamford Bridge.

Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes