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Radamel Falcao: The shocking cost to Manchester United of striker's ill-fated loan

The club opted not to sign the Colombian on a permanent basis

Monday 25 May 2015 13:24 BST

Radamel Falcao during his time at Manchester United (GETTY IMAGES)

Manchester United effectively paid £4m for every Radamel Falcao goal, analysis of the Colombian's spell at Old Trafford shows.

It was announced by the club yesterday that they wouldn't be taking up the option to sign the striker on a permanent basis following the conclusion of his season-long loan from Monaco.

The decision came as little surprise considering his struggles to make an impact during the campaign.

With Louis van Gaal having wished him well for the future, United can begin counting the cost of Falcao's ill-fated time at the club.

Might United regret letting Falcao go? Seven players who suggest they might...

Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

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1/7Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Diego Forlan

Forlan was absolutely useless at Manchester United (aside from a double against Liverpool that United fans still sing about). The Uruguayan took eight months and 29 games to get his first goal and managed just 10 league strikes in the 18 months he was at the club before being sold to Villarreal. However, he would go on to be prolific in Spain, first with Villarreal and then Atletico Madrid. At the 2010 World Cup he even won the player of the tournament award.

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Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Jaap Stam

The Dutch defender spent three seasons at Old Trafford and won three league titles and the Champions League. Despite that he was allowed to leave after making some controversial comments in his autobiography. Sir Alex Ferguson thought it made sense to sell him to Lazio because Stam had appeared to 'lose a little bit' anyway. However, he was superb in Italy and Fergie later conceded 'in playing terms it was a mistake'.

Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Paul Pogba

Pogba was just beginning to emerge at Manchester United when he left the club for Juventus. He was accused of disrespecting the club and United arguably didn't do all they could to keep him. It didn't take long for the Frenchman to establish himself in Italy and he's now valued at around £60m.

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Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Gerard Pique

Having snatched Pique from Barcelona's youth academy, in 2008 he returned to the Nou Camp. The Catalan side matched a £5m buy-out clause for the defender and United respected the Spaniard's wish to return to his homeland. The then 21-year-old would develop into one of the best defenders in Europe and win numerous titles with Barcelona, plus the Euros and World Cup with Spain.

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Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Patrice Evra

More recently, Evra was allowed to leave the club. The Frenchman spent eight years at the club but was deemed to be a fading force and sold to Juventus for £1.2m. In retrospect, Manchester United must have wished they could have called on his experience during tough spells of the most recent campaign, whilst suggestions that he's past his best have been ridiculed by his role in taking Juventus to the Champions League final.

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Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Carlos Tevez

'Welcome to Manchester' was how Manchester City celebrated signing Tevez, who just the season before had been at United. The Argentina international left Old Trafford after difficult talks that resulted in the player informing the club he wouldn't be staying. Having let a player who helped them win two league titles and the Champions League slip through their grasp, he would go on to win the Premier League and FA Cup with their nearest rivals.

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Seven players Manchester United regret letting leave

Paul McGrath

Wanting to rid Manchester United of its booze culture, Ferguson let McGrath, who appeared to be drunk during a TV interview, leave for Aston Villa for a mere £450,000. A couple of years later he won the PFA Player of the Year award and helped Aston Villa beat Manchester United in the final of the League Cup.

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It was widely reported that Manchester United paid Monaco £6m for the privilege of bringing the striker in on loan. They then had to pay his wages. There is some discrepancy over just how much United were paying, with claims than Monaco could have been topping up Falcao's bank balance each month to ensure he didn't lose out by going on loan. £265,000-a-week is the most widely reported figure United were paying - and with Falcao staying at the club for 37 weeks, the total outlay on wages would have been £9.8m.

That means the total outlay on bringing Falcao to Old Trafford was £15.8m.

So what did Manchester United get for their money?

GOALS: Falcao scored just four goals at a cost of £3.95m each.

Falcao celebrates a goal against Stoke (GETTY IMAGES)

APPEARANCES: The Colombian made 26 Premier League appearances - meaning he cost £607,000 every time he pulled the shirt on.

MINUTES: He played 1302 minutes of Premier League football - which means he cost United £12,135 every 60 seconds he was on the pitch.

PASSES: Each pass cost United £40,000.

Falcao with Louis van Gaal (GETTY IMAGES)

ASSISTS: Falcao notched up four assists at a cost of £3.95m each.

SHOTS: Falcao had 37 of them - meaning each time he had a go at goal it cost the club £427,027.

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