Falcao is another of those players who had been on the Chelsea's radar for some time, but it was only after he tore the club's defence to shreds in a humiliating 3-1 Super Cup victory for Atletico Madrid in 2012 that the Colombian became a top priority target. With Fernando Torres' £50 million transfer from Liverpool having humiliatingly backfired, Chelsea were known to have been in the market for a new centre forward. While Gonzalo Higuain was also suggested, it was believed that Falcao had already agreed terms for his transfer from Atletico and it was only a matter of waiting until the end of the season before making it official. Chelsea were prepared to offer up to £45 million for the player, but when negotiations hit a sticking point, Monaco jumped in to meet the Spanish club's asking price and offer the Colombian an enormous wage increase over what he would have been getting in London. Falcao eventually decided to head to France, where rumours of his unhappiness have followed ever since. With Chelsea once again struggling for lack of a goalscorer last season, Falcao's name once again came to the fore in connection with the club, though his disappointing numbers meant Diego Costa, the Colombian's replacement at Atletico, was sought instead, signing this summer for £32 million.
28-year old English writer with a borderline obsessive passion for films, videogames, Chelsea FC, incomprehensible words and indefensible puns. Follow me on Twitter if you like infrequent outbursts of absolute drivel.
