Van Gaal will wait to decide Falcao future

LONDON - Louis van Gaal has revealed he won't decide if Radamel Falcao has a long-term future at Manchester United until the injury-plagued Colombia striker has a long run in the team.

Falcao, who is on a season-long loan from Monaco, says he is settled in Manchester and happy to stay at Old Trafford beyond the end of the current campaign despite scoring just once in eight appearances.

But Falcao's last start came on October 5 when he scored his only goal for the club against Everton.

And van Gaal will not be rushed into making a decision on whether to exercise his right to sign Falcao in a permanent £43.5 million ($67.9 million) deal.

The United manager wants the former Porto and Atletico Madrid striker to prove his fitness and form first.

"He hasn't played so much," Van Gaal said when asked about the possibility of signing Falcao.

"You cannot see too much of a player if he doesn't train so much. He has been injured a lot of time. First you have to be fit.

"Now he shows fitness in the training sessions so maybe I shall select him (for Saturday's game at Aston Villa), maybe for the bench or the line up. Let's wait and see."