Falcao: I need playing time to earn deal

Radamel Falcao would love to stay at Manchester United but admits a permanent move to Old Trafford is likely to depend on how much he plays from now until the end of the season.

United appeared to pull off a major coup, signing Falcao from Monaco on deadline day, but so far the Colombian has not lived up to his star billing.

Thanks partly to injury, Falcao has struggled to find form, and has scored just once in 11 appearances.

Despite his struggles, Falcao is keen for United to exercise their option to buy him for £43.5 million (€55m).

The former Porto striker concedes his chances of remaining at Old Trafford hinge partly on the amount of playing time he gets for the remainder of the campaign, though.

“I am very happy in this city, in this club and I am enjoying it here. I really want to stay,” the United striker said.

“From my point of view, I’d like to carry on but I have to analyse the situation, see if I play more and see what decision the board takes.”

Falcao has not started a game since he scored his only United goal against Everton on October 5. A calf injury ruled the player out for a month but since he returned he has made three brief appearances off the bench, the latest a 12-minute cameo in the 3-0 win over Liverpool which kept United third in the Premier League. The striker admits he would prefer to play more but he is willing to be patient.

“Every footballer wants to play, no one is happy not playing, when they are on the bench, but whenever I am given the opportunity, whether it be for five, 10, 20 or 90 minutes, I have to give my best,” he said.

“Whenever I have the opportunity to come on I try to do my best for the coach and I try to help the team.”

Falcao suffered a serious knee injury in January which ruled him out of the World Cup, but he insisted recently that his fitness troubles were down to a calf problem he suffered after receiving a kick in training.

Falcao hopes he will soon reach peak fitness and start repaying the club for the money they have invested in him.

“I’m almost at 100% now, let’s see wait and see what the decision of the coach is, when he wants to use me more,” said Falcao.

Robin van Persie has scored four goals in his last four games and Wayne Rooney is starting to show good form while Van Gaal has shown a lot of faith in 19-year-old forward James Wilson.

Falcao acknowledges he faces tough competition to earn a regular start.

“We have a group of strikers who are very good and that’s good for everyone,” he said. “That means there is always a level of competition between us, healthy competition, and I am very happy with how the team is doing.”