Louis van Gaal: Radamel Falcao must prove himself at Manchester United

Speaking ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, (Watch live, 10 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via Live Extra) Louis van Gaal has spelled things out to Radamel Falcao: Impress me.

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After arriving on a season-long loan from AS Monaco in September, which cost United $10 million by the way, Falcao has spent plenty of time in the treatment room as question marks still remain over whether or not he has fully recovered from the horrific knee injury which saw him out of action for over six months in 2014.

Despite being fit, Falcao was left out of United’s 18-man squad for the recent 1-0 defeat to Southampton and van Gaal says the Colombian hotshot still has to prove himself at Old Trafford.

“If a player costs £95m or £5,000, it doesn’t make any difference,” van Gaal said. “You have to prove yourself. He has to prove himself, that we have agreed. We have made this deal and everything is clear and it is not the end of the year [the duration of his loan spell] so he has the chance for that. For the manager it is the quality of the training sessions, the quality in his performances and matches and he has to compare [favorably]. A player of £95m has to prove himself also. Maybe he has less motivation so I have to be like that.”

Falcao currently earns over $400,000 a week but has scored just three goals in 13 appearances since arriving at Old Trafford and the Red Devils have the chance to buy the 28-year-old striker for $70 million at the end of the season before he returns to Monaco.

With comments like this from van Gaal, plus Falcao’s relative poor form and lack of minutes due to injuries, a permanent stay at Old Trafford is not looking likely for the man they call ‘El Tigre’.

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