The manager has targeted the Monaco hit-man in case Manchester United keep hold of their star.
Jose Mourinho is still keen to bring Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney to Stamford Bridge, but has earmarked Radamel Falcao of AS Monaco as a back-up transfer, according to the Mirror.
After former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed Rooney had submitted a transfer request at the end of last season, the Blues made two bids for the England international.
Both were rejected by the Premier League champions and Ferguson’s successor David Moyes managed to convince the 28-year-old to stay at Old Trafford.
However, with Rooney’s contract expiring in the summer of 2015 and the attacker yet to sign a new deal with the Red Devils, Mourinho hasn’t given up hope of landing the Englishman.
Yet if the player does decide to stay on at the Theatre of Dreams, the west Londoners have pinpointed Falcao as the ideal alternative.
The club have been strongly linked with the Colombian for some time, with the striker not enjoying life with Monaco after making a £50m switch from Atletico Madrid in the summer.
Although Falcao has 10 goals in 17 matches for the side, the South American has failed to settle in the Principality and could well be open to a move to Stamford Bridge.
It’s likely that Roman Abramovich would have to find similar funds to what Monaco paid Atletico to land the 27-year-old, but with Mourinho desperately wanting a new striker the owner may well do so.
Current attacking trio of Demba Ba, Samuel Eto’o and Fernando Torres have all failed to impress and Falcao could well be just the man to end the side’s scoring woes.
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