Falcao is ready to leave Monaco. (©GettyImages). Radamel Falcao has chosen to wear the No.9 shirt if his prospective move to Manchester United is completed, reports The Daily Star.
The Red Devils have left their Premier League rivals stunned after agreeing a deal to sign the Colombian striker from Monaco. Reports in Spain claim it is a permanent deal worth €60 million while reports in England say it is a season-long loan deal.
Legacy of the No.9
Regardless of whether the move turns out to be permanent or temporary, Falcao has been offered, and accepted, the chance to wear Manchester United's famous No.9 shirt.
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The most iconic player to wear the shirt in recent times has been Andy Cole, who scored 121 goals for Manchester United between 1995 and 2001. Louis Saha and Dimitar Berbatov have been the most recent players to wear the shirt.
The truth
Having already spent a significant sum on the likes of Angel Di Maria, Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera, it seems much more likely that Falcao will move to Old Trafford temporarily.
The loan fee seems to be ranging from anywhere between £5 million to £10 million while Falcao's wages are believed to be costing Manchester United somewhere between £200,000-a-week and £300,000-a-week.
Beating Arsenal to the punch
If Louis van Gaal agrees a deal for Falcao, it will prove a significant swoop considering the interest Falcao has generated this summer. Both Arsenal and Real Madrid were believed to be interested in the striker, who had been touted to Europe's best clubs by his club.
Arsenal were reported to have contacted Monaco about a deal, but deemed the deal too expensive to complete. Real Madrid also seem to have opted for a cheaper option in Javier Hernandez.
Tactically insane
Manchester United's bid for Falcao is not only shocking because of the pedigree he will bring, but because Van Gaal already boasts an embarrassment of riches in attacking options.
Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney represent one of the most potent attacking forces in the Premier League and it is hard to see where Falcao will fit into the set up without one being sacrificed. Van Persie has struggled with injury throughout his career, but Falcao is an incredibly expensive back-up option to solve that eventuality.
Although a luxury addition, signing Falcao is a huge statement of intent from Manchester United, who are looking to force their way back into the top four by bringing world-class stars to Old Trafford.
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