Radamel Falcao: Expensive mistake for Chelsea

Radamel Falcao’s woeful campaign at Chelsea has become even more difficult to swallow for the Blues, after stats revealed just how costly a failure the Colombian was at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues confirmed on Friday that Falcao, Alexandre Pato and squad goalkeeper Marco Amelia will all leave Stamford after failing to make an impact at the club.

Colombian Falcao – once regarded as one of the world’s top strikers – struggled during a spell with Manchester United in 2014/15 – but his stats at Old Trafford were nothing compared to the expensive failure he became at Stamford Bridge.

Falcao, who cost Chelsea a reported £140,000 a week during his 10-month stay at Stamford Bridge, made 12 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring just once – in the 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace in August 2015.

But that’s not all, with his stats revealing:

£7.28million: The total amount in wages picked up by Falcao during his year at Stamford Bridge

Ten: The number of occasions the player made it onto the field in the Premier League.

228: The number of minutes of playing time Falcao racked up for the Blues.

£32,000: The cost of each minute he played in the PL for Chelsea.

Five: The total number of shots he had on target (nine more blocked, or off target)

£1.46m: The cost of each direct shot on goal (£809,000 per shot inc blocked, or off target efforts)

Two: His total chances created at Chelsea

127: The number of times he touched the ball

£57,000: The cost per touch in a Chelsea shirt

63: The number of successful passes Falcao made

£116,000: Cost per pass in a Chelsea shirt

The player currently has two years left on the five-year deal he signed with Monaco in 2013 and with the club desperate to sell, or loan him out again, it seems the player might struggle to find a club willing to take on his huge wages.

Clubs in China have been mentioned as a possible destination for the player and that seems his best option after two frustrating seasons in the Premier League.