Liverpool Miss Out as Radamel Falcao Set for Real Madrid

Liverpool's inquiries into the availability of Radamel Falcao have been met with the news that the Colombian is set to sign for Real Madrid.

Brendan Rodgers was keen to bring the 28-year-old striker to Merseyside as a replacement for Luis Suarez but was shot down after Monaco said Falcao would be Bernabeu-bound.

An audacious bid would no doubt have whetted the appetites of Reds fans hoping Liverpool could again mount a challenge for the Premier League title but reports claim Falcao is nearing a move to Madrid and will become the latest Galactico to sign for Los Blancos.

Liverpool turned their attention to Falcao after pulling out of signing QPR striker Loic Remy and having second thoughts about spending around £20m on Swansea's Wilfried Bony.

Karim Benzema, another striker Rodgers had shown an interest in, has already signed a new five-year deal with Madrid, keeping him there until 2019.

Manchester City have also been watching closely but the Etihad club would have to sell players to stick to Uefa rules that they have at least five home-grown players in their restricted 21-man Champions League squad this season.

Falcao made a huge impact during his first term in Spain, scoring 52 goals in 68 games during two seasons at Atletico Madrid before he raised eyebrows last year and moved to billionaire-owned Ligue 1 club AS Monaco.

His season was cut short in January when he sustained a knee injury that kept him out of the World Cup in Brazil, a tournament where compatriot James Rodriguez, now of Madrid, set the competition alight with a string of mesmerising performances as Colombia progressed to the quarter finals.

If, as touted, Falcao signs for Madrid it will take their summer spending up to an eye-watering €190m (£150m) after already splashing out on Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Keylor Navas.