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Radamel Falcao: Five destinations for Manchester United's on-loan striker next season

Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao may have scored twice for Colombia this week but his Old Trafford future remains in doubt.

Falcao made a deadline-day move from Monaco on a season-long loan deal worth £6m last summer, with United given an option to make his stay permanent for the sum of £43.5m.

But having seen him score just four times in 22 matches, United are not expected to pursue a deal for a 29-year-old earning a reported £280,000 a week.

Falcao has admitted he "needs to play" and while his representative says he could return to the Stade Louis II at the end of the season, he claims his client will not be short of offers from some of the world’s biggest teams.

But which other clubs might want want to take a chance on a man who was a prolific scorer for Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco before suffering a knee ligament injury 14 months ago? Here are five possible destinations for Falcao next season…

Liverpool

Image: Liverpool look set to offload misfiring frontman Mario Balotelli this summer, creating room for a new attacker at Anfield

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers enquired about Falcao’s availability last summer as the Merseysiders sought a replacement for the recently departed Luis Suarez, only to be told the player had his heart set on a move to Real Madrid.

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But according to reports in the English press, the Reds are set to rekindle their interest in the Colombia forward, with Mario Balotelli’s ill-fated spell at the club to be brought to a premature end this summer.

Rickie Lambert has also struggled to justify his move to Anfield, and while Daniel Sturridge continues to be plagued by fitness worries Rodgers looks sure be in the market for attacking reinforcements next season.

Juventus

Carlos Tevez of Juventus FC celebrates after scoring the first team's goal during the Serie A match between AS Roma and Juventus
Image: Striker Carlos Tevez may not still be at the Bianconeri next season

Juventus managing director Giuseppe Moratta revealed in October that the Serie A champions had been in talks to sign Falcao on loan last summer, before United came in to gazump them with a higher offer.

"We were following him and there was contact," Marotta told RAI TV. "We were very close to (signing) Falcao and the player preferred Italy and our colours, but then United came forward and they have much more spending power than we do so the deal broke down."

However, Juve do look set to buy a new striker next season with Carlos Tevez - who only has one year left on his current deal - unlikely to extend his contract and doubts growing over Fernando Llorente’s future at the club.

So could Falcao be on his way to the Old Lady of Italian football? Newspaper reports have claimed talks between the two parties have already taken place.

Chelsea

Monaco's Colombian forward Radamel Falcao (R) and his agent Jorge Mendes (L)
Image: Radamel Falcao (R) and his agent Jorge Mendes (L)

According to claims in the English media this week Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is weighing up an end-of-season move for Falcao.

Diego Costa may be the Premier League’s current joint-top scorer with 19 goals in his debut campaign, but the striker’s ongoing hamstring problems have affected his appearances for the club.

Back-up forward Didier Drogba is now 37 and, were he to hang up his boots this summer, only Loic Remy would remain as senior support for Costa.

A loan swoop for Falcao could be a possibility - especially given Mourinho and the Colombian share the same agent in Jorge Mendes.

Atletico Madrid

Image: Could Los Che boss Diego Simeone help Falcao get his career back on track in the Spanish capital again next season?

The Spanish media is adamant that Falcao has his heart set on a return to former club Atletico Madrid.

Falcao spent two hugely successful campaigns at the Vicente Calderon, scoring an impressive 70 goals in just 90 appearances in all competitions between 2011 and 2013.

And with Atleti forward Mario Mandzukic rumoured to be on his way out of the La Liga champions at the end of the season, coach Diego Simeone may be tempted to gamble on the belief he can reinvigorate Falcao's career like he has done with fellow frontman Fernando Torres.

Tottenham Hotspur

Emmanuel Adebayor of Spurs turns away after scoring his goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Brom.
Image: Spurs centre-forward Emmanuel Adebayor has once again found first-team opportunities limited at White Hart Lane this campaign

If Falcao is keen to remain in the Premier League, Tottenham could be a possible next port of call.

While Spurs striker Harry Kane has - along with Costa - scored 19 league goals this season, there is little in attacking reserve behind the England international at White Hart Lane. Emmanuel Adebayor has once again been a bit-part player at the club and, with just a year left on his contract, is expected to leave north London this summer.

Fellow striker Roberto Soldado has scored just once in 18 league games and could also be offloaded.

If those two high earners do leave Tottenham, then there may be space available on the club’s wage bill for coach Mauricio Pochettino to try to entice his fellow South American to the club on a big-money contract.

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