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ESPN staff 9y

Chelsea to sign Radamel Falcao on loan from Monaco

Chelsea have announced the signing of Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan from Monaco.

The Premier League champions announced on their website that they had agreed to terms for the Colombia international.

Monaco also confirmed the deal and said Chelsea had an option for a permanent transfer.

A statement on Monaco's website read: "AS Monaco officialises the loan of Radamel Falcao to the English club Chelsea FC for the season 2015-16 with a buy option."

Falcao, 29, told his new club's website: "I am very happy to be joining Chelsea and can't wait to start training and help with our aim of retaining the league title and being successful in Europe."

Falcao, who suffered an ACL injury in January 2014, spent last season on loan at Manchester United but struggled to produce his best form, scoring just four goals in 26 Premier League appearances.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has already said that he is eager to help the former Porto and Atletico Madrid star recover his best form, telling DirecTV Sports last month: "It hurts me that people in England think that the real Falcao is the one we saw at Manchester United."

Falcao will join up with former Atletico teammates Thibaut Courtois, Diego Costa and Filipe Luis at Chelsea along with fellow Colombia international Juan Cuadrado.

Chelsea have also allowed Croatian midfielder Mario Pasalic to move in the opposite direction on a season-long loan.

Pasalic, 20, had spent last season on loan at Elche in La Liga.

He told Monaco's official website: "I am happy I am here in this big club.

"I think I can help this team make good results like last year, or I hope better results."

He recalled Monaco's 2004 Champions League final appearance, when Croatia striker Dado Prso came off the bench in a 3-0 defeat to Porto.

"I remember I think year 2004 Dado Prso in the Champions League," he said. "I remember that moment and that's the first thing that's coming to my mind when somebody says Monaco."

He will link up with Croatia international Danijel Subasic at the Ligue 1 club.

"I know some players from Monaco, also Subasic, because it's my teammate from national team," he said. "We spoke a little bit. We are good friends, and he also give me some advice to come here -- that everything is fine, everything is good, and I hope that this season will be good for me."

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