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Report: Radamel Falcao 'Offers Himself' to Real Madrid Amid Monaco Exit Rumours
November 17, 2018
AS Monaco striker Radamel Falcao reportedly wants out of the struggling club and has "offered his services" to Real Madrid, who are looking at the Colombian for January.
According to Marca's Jose Felix Diaz, the 32-year-old is one of several options for Los Blancos, who are keeping an eye on Falcao but have no real "urgency" to sign him.
Per the report, Real are focused on bringing in younger players, and River Plate's Exequiel Palacios is expected to arrive soon. Falcao wouldn't fit that direction of the club but would be a solid short-term solution to a problem the team has struggled with since the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, which left them short of ace strikers.
Any deal would likely be a short one:
The veteran forward's scoring numbers have dropped this season, as he has four goals in Ligue 1. Monaco have struggled tremendously and replaced manager Leonardo Jardim with Thierry Henry, to no avail.
Falcao rebuilt his reputation as a top striker in the last two seasons, scoring 18 Ligue 1 goals last season and 21 the year before. He played a key role in the title-winning campaign in 2016-17 and was also vital in the club's semi-final run in the UEFA Champions League.
He seemed to be past his prime during his loan spells with Manchester United and Chelsea, as he was often lost on the pitch and struggled to keep up with the pace. Injuries had a major impact on his form, however, and since fully recovering, he has rediscovered his scoring touch.
Here are his domestic highlights from last season:
As a predatory striker, he's highly dependent on the service provided by his team-mates, which can explain his lack of goals this season. Monaco have not been able to put him in a position to score, and they now want to get rid of his wages, per Diaz.
Los Blancos could provide both parties with the perfect solution. The three-time reigning European champions have been inconsistent themselves this season, and one of the main issues has been the lack of a forward who specialises in scoring.
Karim Benzema has bagged five goals in La Liga so far, but prior to scoring against Celta Vigo before the international break, he hadn't found the net in a domestic match since September.
Falcao would add some much-needed competition for the Frenchman, and on loan, there would be almost no risks involved.