Man Utd Transfers: 7 Radamel Falcao Alternatives Van Gaal Must Sign

When Manchester United completed the signing of Radamel Falcao in September 2014, it was a statement of intent. It was a message to their Premier League rivals that United were ready to play amongst England's big boys again, after a dour previous campaign under David Moyes. Falcao's capture, at the time, was considered a massive coup. The Colombian had shown himself to be one of the greatest strikers on the planet during his days with Porto and Atletico Madrid, and while he had spent the previous eight months rehabilitating a cruciate knee ligament injury - subsequently missing last summer's World Cup - there was no dimming the excitement. It was a match made in heaven, for United fans anyway. As a measure of covering their own backs, United agreed to sign the player on a season-long loan, with a view to making the deal permanent if it proved successful. Despite the extortionate pay packet the Monaco man was set to pick up, many at the time would not have suspected just how poorly things would turn out. Because that's exactly how it's been. Poor. By the start at March, this 'world-class' forward had bagged just four goals for Louis van Gaal's side. It's not the return United were hoping for. Looking off the pace and too weak for Premier League football, few now expect United to shell out the reported £43m it will take to secure the 29-year-old's long-term future. But with the likes of Robin van Persie now past his best too, United are going to need to look at a new top class striker this summer. The problem is, who out there is of the required quality to come in and bag United 25 goals a season? And not only that, but who do United have a chance of actually signing? Here are seven potential replacements for Falcao for when he inevitably trudges back to Monaco.