Manchester United certainly raised a few eyebrows on deadline day back in September when they announced the arrival of Colombian forward Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan deal.

The Red Devils secured the services of the highly rated Monaco striker for £6m, who was very much expected to help fire the club back into the Champions League. Six months later, it’s safe to say Falcao’s Old Trafford career has yet to take off and question marks over his future in the Premier League continue to linger.

Just four goals in 20 appearances so far this season is hardly the return we expected from a man who has proved himself to be one of the world’s most prolific strikers in recent years.

The 29-year-old scored 11 goals in 20 games for Monaco, before a significant knee injury left him sidelined for months and cruelly ruled him out of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. There’s no doubt this has had an effect on him, and he has looked a shadow of his former self ever since. However, this can’t be the sole reason for his disappointing start at United, where the manager and fellow teammates must take some of the blame for his lack of goals.

United’s style of play under Louis van Gaal has been well documented and widely criticised for lack of excitement and attacking prowess, given the players the Dutchman has under his disposal, and this has certainly played a part with Falcao. The Red Devils are yet to produce the free flowing football of old, and have struggled to create chances on numerous occasions this season.

A player like Falcao feeds off good quality balls into the box and through balls beyond the defence, but during his time at Old Trafford this has been in short supply through no fault of his own. His quality is undeniable, yet the failure of his team to create the type of opportunities that saw him dominate defences while at Porto and Atletico Madrid is something that needs to be addressed.

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And as for his fitness concerns, the manager has to persist with Falcao by giving him a constant run of games in order to get back to his best. Given a proper run in the side, whereby he plays the majority of each game, regardless of his performance, will not only improve his physical condition, but also his confidence; a vital component for any striker, that in this case certainly looks to be lacking.

Despite his difficult start to life in England, United should still be doing all they can to secure Falcao to a permanent deal. By doing so, any doubts the player is harbouring over his future would be extinguished, allowing him to concentrate on what he is best at – scoring goals.

They still have one of the world’s best centre forwards in their side, and letting him leave in the summer without a fair crack at the Premier League would be the wrong decision.

Providing they can qualify for the Champions League, Van Gaal will need the numbers in attack in order to rotate his squad, and the increased number of games his side will have to accommodate for, will certainly mean more game time for Falcao if he were to stay.

No doubt there will be a number of clubs queuing up to sign the striker should United decide not to pursue a permanent deal, however that decision could certainly be one they regret if he begins to find the net regularly once again.

Falcao is not the first player to struggle in his first season in English football, and won’t be the last, however if United can continue to show the faith in his ability, and bring him to the club on a permanent basis, they could well be reaping the rewards this time next season.

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