Madrid eyes move for Monaco striker Falcao

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is still interested in bringing Monaco striker Radamel Falcao to the Spanish club.

Falcao joined French league leader Monaco in the offseason for a reported 60 million euros ($78 million) from Atletico Madrid, but has often been linked with Madrid.

''He won't come in January but in June, who knows?'' Perez said in an interview on the Punto Pelota sports television show. ''Falcao is a great player and I imagine he would like to play for Madrid. I think that, and that's normal. I've been told.''

Perez also expects Gareth Bale to play on Saturday against Malaga ahead of a Champions League date with Juventus next week. Bale trained apart from his teammates on Tuesday as he recovers from a chronic disc bulge in his back.

''Gareth is calm and ready, hoping to play on Saturday,'' said Perez, who dismissed a report that Bale arrived from Tottenham with a serious back injury as false.

''Everyone knows he hasn't had a good preseason, that he suffered an injury. But he's training well and he wants to play and to show that all of this is just noise.''

Perez also said he is on the hunt for a sponsor to help fund remodeling work on the Santiago Bernabeu.