Falcao and Valdes negotiate Monaco move - sources

MONACO (AFP) –

Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring on August 31, 2012 at the Stade Louis II, in Monaco. Colombia striker Falcao and Spain goalkeeper Victor Valdes are in Monaco to finalise transfers to the Principality club, according to various sources Monday.

Colombia striker Falcao and Spain goalkeeper Victor Valdes are in Monaco to finalise transfers to the Principality club, according to various sources Monday.

The French second division champions, backed by Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, are looking to make a splash when they rejoin the top flight next season after a two-year hiatus.

According to sources, both Atletico Madrid forward Falcao and Barcelona goalkeeper Valdes will undergo medicals in the Principality on Tuesday.

Falcao, 27, who has banged in 28 goals this season and won the Spanish Cup a year after helping Atleti to a Europa League triumph, is due to sign for five years for around 60 million euros ($78 million), which would make him the most expensive player in French football history.

He only joined Atleti two years ago in a 40 million euro deal after firing Porto to Europa League glory.

Valdes, 31, is out of contract with Barcelona at the end of the season and had already revealed back in January he would be leaving the Catalan giants.

Valdes has spent 10 years at Barca and won the Champions League three times and Spanish La Liga six times during that period, as well as two King’s Cups.

The double capture would take Monaco’s post-season spending spree to well over the 100 million euro mark following the arrivals of Portugal midfielder Moutinho and Colombian winger James Rodriguez from Porto for a combined 70 million euros.

Apart from building the most expensive team in French football history, Rybolovlev’s money could help Monaco rival the other Ligue 1 big spenders Paris Saint-Germain, who are backed by Qatari money.