Chelsea Transfer News: Radamel Falcao Expected to Quit Amid Barcelona Rumours

On-loan striker Radamel Falcao looks set to leave Chelsea in January amid sensational rumours he could be joining La Liga giants Barcelona.

That's according to the Mirror's John Cross, who reports the Colombian is unhappy with his lack of game time for the Blues and has recently been linked with a switch to the Camp Nou by Juanjo Martin of Spanish outlet Don Balon.

The forward has started just once in the Premier League for Chelsea and has largely been restricted to cameo appearances from the bench, his start coming during Diego Costa's ban in the 3-1 defeat against Southampton, in which Falcao was booked for diving.

Frank Augstein/Associated Press

Falcao has failed to even get on the pitch in the Champions League, and as Cross notes was not even named among the substitutes for Saturday's win over Aston Villa—despite being fit to play.

The 29-year-old enjoyed, arguably, the best spell of his career in La Liga with Atletico Madrid, where he scored a stunning 70 goals in 90 appearances.

However, as football writer Kristian Sturt notes, it's difficult to believe the rumours linking him with Barca:

The Catalan giants are in need of another forward after allowing Pedro to leave for Chelsea in the summer, but Falcao has been in significant decline since leaving Atleti in 2013, scoring just 18 club goals since and only five in English football after spending last season on loan with Manchester United.

Further, he's hardly the player to fit into Barcelona's system.

Their front three of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez are all technically gifted, quick and highly mobile, capable of drifting around the front line and on to each flank as necessary.

Siu Wu/Associated Press

Pedro was able to slot into that system admirably and made outstanding cover for the superstars, but Falcao is more of an out-and-out centre-forward who can finish moves rather than start them, so Barca would need to adapt their style of play significantly to accommodate him.

The Colombian's return of one goal in 326 minutes of play for the Blues is hardly an inspiring figure, though, admittedly, the entire team has struggled for much of that time, not just Falcao.

Still, it's certainly possible Chelsea could cut their losses on the expensive striker in January, which would leave him open to join other teams willing to stump up for his wages.

It's difficult to imagine any team willing to gamble big money on him if his stay at Chelsea is cut short, though, and it's incredibly unlikely Barcelona of all teams would be the club to do so.