Falcao not staying at United

Radamel Falcao has been told he will not be coming back to Manchester United next season.

United won a hotly-contested race to sign the Colombia striker on loan from Monaco last summer, but he has scored just four goals in 29 appearances for Louis van Gaal's side this season.

United had the chance to sign the 29-year-old on a permanent basis for £43.2million, but Press Association Sport understands the club have told Falcao they will not exercise that option.

Falcao was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world after successful spells at Porto, Atletico Madrid and Monaco, but he has looked anything but a world-class forward since moving to Old Trafford.

Colombia's all-time top scorer got off the mark for United in his fourth game - a 2-1 win over Everton.

But he only found the net three more times after that fixture in October and has not scored in his last 13 matches.

Falcao was left out of United's squad for the final game of the season at Hull on Sunday through injury, according to Van Gaal.

The striker bade farewell to the United fans last week when he came off in the second half of the 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Old Trafford.

Falcao has lacked the explosive pace and eye for goal upon which he built his reputation.

His progress has been hindered by a failure to recover from a serious knee injury he suffered playing for Monaco in March last year.