Radamel Falcao Close To Finalizing A Move To Real Madrid, Say Reports

According to growing reports, AS Monaco have agreed to send Radamel Falcao on a season long loan to Real Madrid for a fee believed to be near £20 million. The Spanish giants will also have the option of signing the striker on a permanent basis at the conclusion of the 2014-15 season.

News of Falcao’s move to Madrid began surfacing on Thursday after CNN and beINSPORT contributor Tancredi Palmeri claimed a deal between the clubs had been reached on his Twitter account.

Palmeri would later insisted that an announcement would come on Friday or Saturday.

Although that “official” announcement has failed to materialize, it appears the player himself may have prematurely leaked news of the transfer via his official Twitter account.

Falcao had been left out of the Monaco’s squad for today’s league encounter with Lille, leading many to speculate that the French club were preparing to move the Colombia international.

Shortly after news of Falcao’s omission from the Ligue Un side’s lineup was announced, the striker apparently took to his Twitter account to reveal his future plans. Falcao tweeted this message, which was quickly pulled from the social media site:

Should the move materialize, it puts to rest weeks of rumors surrounding the future of the Colombia international. Juventus, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City have all been linked with the striker over the past 48 hours; but it is now believed that Madrid have closed the deal for the Colombian goalscorer.

Falcao has been coveted by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez for the majority of the summer. But any move for the 28-year-old had to wait until the La Liga club were able to offload one of its non-European Union players.

Once Madrid completed the sale of Angel Di Maria to Manchester United for a British transfer record fee of £59.7 million, Perez and AS Monaco officials resumed negotiations; with the final meeting taking place on Thursday at the UEFA Champions League draw in Monte Carlo. It was there that the deal for Falcao was completed.

For most of the summer, Monaco have been fielding calls from European clubs inquiring about the availability of Falcao. But the Ligue 1 side informed the interested parties that the Colombia international’s future resides in Madrid.

The former Atletico Madrid striker joined AS Monaco for a reported fee of £48 million in May 2013, signing a five-year contract with the French club. Falcao would score 11 goals during an injury-shortened first season in Ligue 1. But he and fellow-Colombia international, James Rodriguez, would help lead Les Rouges et Blancs to Champions League qualification.

Prior to his time in France, Falcao spent two season at Atletico Madrid where he scored 52 goals in 68 appearances for Los Colchoneros; while leading the Spanish side to the Copa del Rey, UEFA Super Cup and Europa League title.

He spent the previous two seasons at Porto, scoring 41 goals during his brief career with the Portuguese giants. Falcao was the focal point for the Porto side which one two Taca de Portugals and Portuguese Super Cups; as well as a Primeira Liga and Europa League title.