Manchester United was active in the final days leading up to the deadline for the summer transfer window. The team sent off striker Javier Hernandez to Real Madrid for the rest of the year and received Radamel Falcao from AS Monaco for the 2014-2015 season to replace the 'Chicharito.'
United signed Hernandez back in July of 2010 and the 26-year-old has appeared in 102 games and scored 37 goals during that span, but the presence of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie have made the Mexican expendable. In his only appearance with the club this season, Hernandez received 45 minutes of playing time during United's embarrassing 4-0 loss against MK Dons last week and managed to be ineffective, so the team decided to swap him for Falcao.
The Red Devils paid six million pounds for Falcao's transfer fee to cap off a Premier League record 153-million-pound spending spree during the summer transfer window. Their spree contributed to the record transfer window spending of all Premier League teams, which finished at 835 million pounds, according to Deloitte. United's transfer and signing of Angel Di Maria was the largest of the summer at 59.7 million pounds. Arsenal came in second with the acquisition of Alexis Sanchez for 30 million pounds.
Falcao, who was involved in the final transfer of the summer, will remain with United until next June for the previously mentioned transfer fee, plus his salary (he still has four years remaining on his contract and will earn 14.5 million pounds each year), and the team has the option to keep him beyond this season if they elect to do so after the loan ends. The Colombian striker has 138 goals in 205 appearances with River Plate, F.C. Porto, Atletico Madrid and AS Monaco throughout his career. However, the 28-year-old is coming off of a knee injury and hasn't played since January.
While Falcao joins a number of stars on Manchester United, Hernandez will be joining many on Real Madrid. The Spanish club believes the Mexican will be a formidable backup for striker Karim Benzema, who has 73 goals in 115 appearances for the team. After just four goals in his last 24 appearances with United, Hernandez hopes to get a fresh start with one of the top clubs in the world where he will remain until next June. He's under contract with United until 2016, but Real has the option to buy Chicharito at the end of the loan.
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