Ex-Man Utd striker Louis Saha: Radamel Falcao is running out of time to secure future

LOUIS SAHA reckons Radamel Falcao is running out of time fast to secure a long-term future at Manchester United.

Falcao has suffered a nightmare spell at Old Trafford since joining United on a season-long loan deal from Monaco.

The misfit striker has netted just four times after struggling to adapt to the Premier League and was hauled off against Preston in the FA Cup on Monday night with United trailing 1-0.

United have the option to by him for £40m in June, but the 29-year-old is expected to be sent back to Monaco.

Former United hitman Saha reckons Falcao is still a top class hitman.

But he fears the Uruguayan is feeling the pressure of having to justify his £270,000-a-week wages and struggling to cope with the physical demands of English football.

SYMPATHY: Louis Saha feels sorry for Falcao

Saha said: "I have sympathy for Falcao. I have no doubts about him. I know how hard it is to be a striker.

"There is always a lot of competition at this club. When you are in a club and there are only one or two strikers and you are one who will definitely start it is different.

"But at United it is not like that. It is a battle. But he still has the quality to do a great job here.

"He's not struggling, but you have to adapt. When you are in a different formation or different management then you have to adapt.

"It could take three months, six months or maybe a year before you understand it. It happens to even the best players.

"It happened for instance to Patrice Evra at United. For the first six months he was struggling. He didn't seem to understand the physical nature of the game in England.

"But he changed into a terrific player.

"Falcao is under pressure because of his contract. As a striker you want to score. When there is that amount of money involved you are under pressure. That pressure is not on a defender for instance."

Saha, meanwhile, who is now a United ambassador, admits he is surprised Louis van Gaal has been picking Wayne Rooney in midfield for the past two months.

He added: "I am a bit surprised he hasn't been playing as a striker. He can be very effective pretty much everywhere, but he has always done really well as a striker.

"But he is asked to play everywhere because he is able to. He has tremendous quality to adapt to whatever requirement there is for him in the squad.

"Wayne is a United player and if he is asked to play in different positions he will do."