One of the biggest stories of the summer transfer window was the arrival of Radamel Falcao to Manchester United on loan.

It was certainly a headline-maker, but beneath the panache of the big name signing was something far more complex.

Falcao is a superstar and arguably the best center forward in the world. He not only scores with his feet but is a dominant force in the air. His history and even his recent form dictate that he be a starter anywhere he goes.

Almost anywhere, that is, but Manchester United.

Falcao arrives at the Old Trafford with the mission of winning his spot in Louis Van Gaal's starting XI. For the moment, he will have to duke it out with the likes of Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie to earn that position. But can he? And will his arrival unsettle the club?

The second question is rather unique considering the club's current position. After an embarrassing 2013-14 campaign that saw the team crash out of the top four and European competition, United has failed to get back on its feet. Through its first four games under Van Gaal, the team has not stopped looking like the travesty of 2013-14. No wins, two losses (including a 4-0 shelling against a third division side) and two draws. Moreover, the team has scored just two goals in those four games. Hardly the statistics expected from a team that has Rooney and Van Persie in its ranks.

But that is life at the Old Trafford. And this could be great news for Falcao.

He is one of the most prolific scorers in the world when in his best form. He scored 24 goals in 2011-12 for Atletico Madrid before putting 28 in 34 matches the following year. His first season in Monaco was far from a riveting success. He scored nine times in 17 matches before enduring a season-ending injury in January. But after the long layoff, Falcao seems to be back to his best. He had two goals in three games for lowly Monaco before his departure. He was completing 89.4 percent of his passes (the best stat of his career).

Rooney is the captain and hardly the most likely candidate to be dropped from the starting lineup. But he is going to need to produce offensively. After scoring a terrific goal in the opener against Swansea, Rooney has failed to look dangerous for his club. He has a total three shots over the course of those three matches. He has only managed two key passes in that span, a telling statistic when one considers that he has had 10 assists in each of the last two seasons.

Rooney also lacks the aerial prowess of Falcao. While the Colombian has a career average of 1.7 aerials won per game, Rooney has a career average of 0.8. Manchester United frequently utilizes the cross, which should benefit Falcao.

Van Persie's situation is a bit more complex. After putting up a tremendous 26 goals in 38 games in 2012-13, he scored just 12 in 21 games. He has struggled with injuries throughout his career and has looked especially weak to start the year. He had a great start to the World Cup, but faded after acquiring a knock in the deeper stages. He has yet to open his account for Manchester United in 2014-15 and has just three shots on goal in two games. He has not been getting much assistance from the mediocre midfield, but he has hardly helped his own cause.

Van Persie is older than Falcao and could find himself on the bench if his form does not improve. A lot will have to do with Van Gaal's formation. Does he opt for a 4-3-3 or does he continue with the 5-3-2? Either formation would accommodate two of the three strikers, though the former would give Falcao a greater opportunity. With Daley Blind arriving, the midfield could include Blind, Ander Herrera and Mata while Rooney, Di Maria support Falcao. Falcao is a more natural target man and operates beautifully in the box. But he is not strong with the hold-up play the way Van Persie and Rooney are. In fact, his style is similar to the now-departed Javier Hernandez. Both Falcao and the Mexican are wizards in the penalty area. But they do not excel outside of it.

It will be interesting to see how Falcao is incorporated into United's infrastructure. It is hard to believe that he was brought in at the last second as a publicity stunt. The team did not need another striker. But if Falcao was brought in, then he must play a role in Van Gaal's plans.

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