Atletico rule out Falcao sale

Atletico Madrid have ruled out the possibility of forward Radamel Falcao leaving the Vicente Calderon in the upcoming transfer window. 

 The Colombian striker has been a huge hit in Spain since joining from Porto in 2011, scoring 36 goals in 50 appearances for the La Liga outfit. 

it was exclusively revealed that Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini had placed the 26-year-old at the top of his list of transfer targets after cooling his interest in Arsenal's Robin Van Persie. 

 However, Atletico sporting director Jose Luis Caminero has poured cold water on the speculation, insisting Falcao will remain at the club next season, despite the lure of Champions League football elsewhere. 

Falcao will remain at Atletico Madrid and any talk of an exit is misplaced. The club has very clear ideas on this, the official us. 

The striker will remain with us next season and we are not considering any other possibility."

Read more »

Manchester City step up interest in Cavani & Falcao

The Premier League champions have made enquiries for the prolific Napoli and Atletico Madrid centre-forwards as they turn their attentions away from Robin van Persie. 

 Manager Roberto Mancini has placed the South American strikers at the top of his shopping list as the Premier League club try to off-load up to four senior front men this summer and free up £600,000-a-week from the wage bill.

 City’s interest in Robin van Persie has cooled after learning that Arsenal would want more than £25m for the player, who turns 29 in August.

 City have placed a £15m limit on the Dutch spearhead.

 As it stands, the club’s top striker targets are Atletico Madrid’s Falcao and Napoli forward Cavani, with both clubs quoting prices of £40m for their prize assets.

 Mancini tried and failed to land Cavani in the two previous summers but he is also being strongly pursued by Juventus.

 There is believed to be doubt over whether the prolific Uruguayan, 25, is willing to remain at San Paolo after Napoli missed out on Champions League qualification.

 City have received some encouraging signs from Atletico in their pursuit of Falcao, who ended his debut season in Spain with 36 goals, including the opening two in the club’s 3-0 Europa League final win over Athletic Bilbao.

 Atletico still owe Falcao’s former club Porto around half of the initial £34.7m deal that took him to the Spanish capital last summer in a Portuguese record transfer.

 Given the parlous state of Atletico’s finances and the good relationship the two clubs struck up last summer when City paid the £38m for Sergio Aguero up front, the Premier League champions are hopeful they can negotiate a deal for the 26-year-old Colombian, who has scored 108 goals in three seasons in Europe since leaving Argentine giants River Plate in 2009.

 City’s plan is to break even in the transfer market this summer while, at the same time, substantially trimming the wage bill.

 Some of the club’s biggest earners have been put up for sale as the club attempt to utilise their salary budget more effectively.

 City will listen to offers for Carlos Tevez, who earns £198,000-a-week, Edin Dzeko, who gets £130,000-a-week.

 Emmanuel Adebayor (£170,000-a-week), Wayne Bridge and Roque Santa Cruz (who both earn £90,000-a-week), who all spent last season on loan, can also leave.

Read more »

Falcao unaware of Barcelona interest

Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao insists that he is in the dark over Barcelona's reported interest in his services.

 Spanish sources claimed on Wednesday that the Catalan club were closely monitoring the situation of the Colombian star, who has been strongly linked with a new challenge after an impressive season at the Vicente Calderon.

 But Falcao, who is currently away on international duty, claims that he is unaware of such reports and says that he has not spoken with his agent about his future. "The truth is that I do not give any importance to what is being said," he told reporters. "I do not know about those reports and I have not seen, heard or read anything. "I am only thinking about the match against Ecuador.

 "My agent has been very prudent by not talking about that issue with me, and letting me stay focused for these international fixtures. "I do not think this is the right time to talk about that. After Monday, we will see." Falcao, who joined Atletico from Porto last summer, scored 36 goals in all competitions for the Europa League champions.

Read more »