“My son turned down a $58m move to Liverpool because Manchester United is the most significant team in the Premier League”

Radamel Falcao’s father revealed that the Colombian forward was sought after by three Premier League clubs before ultimately signing with Manchester United in 2014.

Falcao, who previously wowed fans during his time at FC Porto and Atletico Madrid, where he won consecutive Europa League titles in 2011 and 2012 as well as the 2012 UEFA Super Cup, faced challenges at Monaco due to a severe knee injury.

This injury paved the way for a high-profile transfer to Manchester United under Louis van Gaal, where they secured him on loan with a $58.0m (£43.5m/€51.8m) option to buy, a move that ultimately disappointed supporters.

In an interview with a Colombian radio station, Falcao’s father, Radamel Garcia, who represented Colombia as a defender in the 1980 Moscow Olympics, discussed his son’s choices. He noted that while clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal showed interest, Falcao was drawn to the allure of Old Trafford.

Garcia stated, “Manchester United is the most important team in England and one of the most powerful financially. Juventus, Manchester City, Liverpool also approached him and Arsenal at the last minute. Fortunately, he ended up at Manchester United, a great team that he has to lead forward.”

Prior to his move to Manchester United, Falcao unintentionally triggered a social media stir with a poorly timed ‘Hala Madrid’ tweet, leading fans to speculate about a potential transfer to Real Madrid.

However, that transfer never materialized. Garcia explained, “Things did not happen with Real Madrid because if you have money and you go to the shops to buy a shirt or trousers, you have to decide if you buy it or not.”

He added, “Real Madrid opted not to do it… they considered what was better for them, and you have to accept that because they are the ones who pay the money. Thank God, everything happened with Manchester United.”

Unfortunately for Falcao and United fans, his time in England did not mirror his previous success. He scored only four goals in 29 appearances, a disappointing performance that even saw him relegated to the Under-21s.

Falcao returned to Monaco before moving to Chelsea, another club interested in him. This second stint was also underwhelming, as he scored just one goal before suffering a serious thigh injury, cutting his season short.

Now 38, Falcao continues to play football, recently returning to Colombia to join Millonarios, a 16-time champion based in Bogota.

According to Liverpool.com, while Falcao was a top player in his prime, by the time he reached the Premier League, he was injury-prone, suggesting Liverpool did not miss out on a key player at that stage in his career.