ESPN on Thursday reported that AS Monaco has made sought-after striker Radamel Falcao available for a season-long loan for 20 million euros ($26.4 million). According to the report, Monacowants to restructure its first team, and needs Falcao’s high salary off its payroll. The Ligue 1 club has offered him to some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Real Madrid, Chelsea,Juventus and Arsenal.
Reports in England on Friday claimed that Real has bowed out of the race to sign the Colombia international for the season, and that Arsenal has emerged as the surprisefrontrunner to land his signature. Asked to comment on the rumor, Gunners coach Arsene Wenger, whorecently lost first-choice striker Olivier Giroud until next year with a broken ankle, said: “It is very difficult to go into all that because once again all the negotiations need to be assecret as possible. I promise you that if we sign Falcao, you will be informed.”
He added: “It is harder to buy top, top, top players in the final days [of the window]. The last few daysare poker games. There are a lot of lies there. Everyone is interested in the same player, but we have experience of this. We can call it bluff.”