Posted by Joseph Zucker

There’s many different ways for a guy to go about rebounding from a bad break up. You can feel upset, hurt, try whatever you can to get your ex back. Or, you can immediately find the urge to “accidentally” run into your ex-girlfriend with a beautiful woman draped on your arm, and maybe while you happen to be driving a brand new Ferrari. Atletico Madrid has gone the latter route after taking essentially every penny from the sale of Sergio Aguero to purchase Porto striker Radamel Falcao.

The transfer was officially announced during half-time of Thursday’s Europa League qualifying match against Vitória de Guimarães, which Atletico won 2-0. Atleti supporters have been clamoring for a replacement for Aguero since his departure in late July. It seemed likely that Espanyol striker Pablo Osvaldo would be the one to fill those boots. Falcao was an outside possibility, but there were questions as to whether Atletico would make an offer close to the Colombian’s €45 million release clause or he would leave Primeira Liga champions Porto and Champions League football for Atletico Madrid and the promise of playing in the Europa League. With Osvaldo rumored to be off to Roma, supporters were beginning to get a little antsy. Fortunately, they must worry no more. It is difficult to find a more prolific striker in the world over the past two seasons than Falcao. In 2009/10, he scored 30 goals in 38 matches, and in 10/11, he found the net 33 times in 36 matches. His 17 goals in the Europa League last season eclipsed the record for most goals in the competition, previously set by Jürgen Klinsmann. Along with Falcao comes Rubén Micael in a separate €5 million deal with Porto. Although, his transfer is certainly not what has gotten the headlines, quite understandably.

The Falcao transfer is good news for Atleti supporters for two reasons. One, it shows Miguel Ángel Gil Marín and Enrique Cerezo can at least put their money where their mouth is. They had stated they would reinvest the money earned from the David de Gea and Aguero transfers back into the club. In that respect, they certainly have not disappointed. Of course, this is the same management that puts the Hicks/Gillett reign in Liverpool to shame. It would be hard to find a more poorly run club than Atletico Madrid. But that is a different topic for a different day. At least temporarily, supporters can enjoy the third most expensive Colombian export, behind cocaine and coffee. It is especially satisfying after watching Mike Ashley fail to spend almost anything from the £35 million Andy Carroll transfer, or Arsene Wenger still refusing to open up the Arsenal checkbook.

Two, it shows that Atletico can be a destination for top-class footballers. It is not in the club’s DNA to go out and buy the best players in the world. The signing of Falcao is certainly not going to change that fact. With the debt the club has, it can’t afford to drop lavish transfer fees for great players. But it is at least refreshing to hear a player with the quality of Falcao say how much he is looking forward to putting on the red and white shirt. Certainly, he could be looking more forward to a rise in wages, but it shows some commitment from him to turn down Champions League football with Porto. It is almost impossible to break into the La Liga duopoly of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but that is no reason for Atletico to sit back and just throw in the towel. Especially with the way Málaga has spent millions and Marcelo Bielsa taking the reins at Athletic Bilbao. Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal are sure to be tough competition as well. If the club can bring in a player like Falcao, it can be an indicator for other good players that Atletico is a club that can compete at the highest levels, regardless of its ownership situation or serious lack of contention for the league title. Falcao follows Arda Turan as the second big-time arrival at the Vicente Calderón. (For a much more in-depth background on the Turkish midfielder, read Aydin Reyhan’s Kick About article: http://www.worldfootballdaily.com/b/Arda-Turan..Turkish-Wonderkid-finally-leaves-nest/-40716798478017906.html)

With this news, it brings possibly even more questions about Diego Forlán and his on-again, off-again, on-again, off-again transfer. He’s been linked to at least about six dozen different clubs in his time at Atletico Madrid. Last year, he couldn’t get on with manager Quique Sánchez Flores. Flores is out and Gregorio Manzano is in. Unfortunately, it appears that Samuel Eto’o is moving out of Inter Milan, and Forlán has stated his desire to move, telling an Italian paper that it would be a dream to play for Inter. It all depends on whether Eto’o does complete the move to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. Of course, it seemed that Forlán was destined to complete a move to Tottenham before that move fell through. In the event the Uruguayan striker does leave, it would put Atletico in a difficult spot. Even with Falcao, the club wouldn’t have another striker with significant experience in Spanish football, or really another first-team striker. Adrián looks like he could be a good player, but is still largely unproven. Even though Forlán’s value will never be higher, coming of his performance at the Copa America, it makes more sense to try and hold on to him, unless they have another option lined up. Brazilian midfielder Diego appears to also be on his way to Atletico, but especially after the arrival of Arda, he will continue to clog what is already a packed midfield. He would be a good playmaker, but without a good attack up top, he will be ineffective. It would almost be the complete opposite of how the club has been in the past with Aguero and Forlán as the striking duo and no \

Either way, with Falcao’s arrival, Atleti supporters are hoping to see a Rojiblanco revival and not another false dawn.