Falcao insists he is not thinking about transfer

SINGAPORE (AFP) –

Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao celebrates after scoring against Chelsea during the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, on August 31, 2012. Falcao insists he is not thinking about a blockbuster summer transfer as he hogged the limelight in a friendly win in Singapore.

Atletico Madrid star Radamel Falcao insisted he had not been thinking about a blockbuster summer transfer as he hogged the limelight in a friendly win in Singapore on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Colombian, reportedly courted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, came on to wild cheers in the second half of Atletico’s 2-0 win over Singapore Selection.

Falcao was unable to find the net in his half-hour cameo, although he gave a sign of his sought-after goal-scoring prowess when he forced a fine save from Singapore’s Hassan Sunny.

Earlier, Falcao told Britain’s Sky Sports News that despite speculation linking him to Monaco and Chelsea, among others, his mind was not on changing clubs.

“I haven’t thought about a move too much,” Falcao said. “The reality is that I have three years left on my contract with Atletico.

“It’s true that last season during the summer there was a lot of speculation with clubs being named as a possible destination, but the truth is that I’ve not thought about it.

“Of course, it depends on what the financial needs of my club are and what sort of efforts Atletico make to keep me. I’ve been trying not to think too much about the rumours of clubs being linked with me.

“Instead, I’ve been focusing on my objectives as a player and as a team member of Atletico Madrid.”

In Wednesday’s game, Raul Garcia scored Atletico’s opener on 29 minutes and Diego Costa ensured the win after a goalmouth scramble three minutes from time.

Atletico arrived for the whistle-stop publicity visit on Monday, three days after beating arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Spanish Cup final and with two fixtures remaining in their La Liga season.

After the Singapore match, Atletico manager Diego Simeone shot down rumours that Falcao had already been sold to Monaco — and said he’d be happy with anything that was good for the player.

“I have known Falcao since he was a young kid and anything that is good for Falcao, I will be happy. But of course I will be happy if he stays,” Simeone told a press conference.

On Tuesday, Atletico chief executive Miguel Angel Gil-Marin said the club would leave any move up to Falcao, and admitted he wasn’t sure whether the Colombian would still be at the club next season.

“Next season? I don’t know, it depends on the player,” Gil-Marin told AFP. “If the player decides to go, Atletico will help him. Or if he prefers to be with us, for us it’s perfect.”