Radamel Falcao must hope his agent, Jorge Mendes, succeeds in securing him a move to the Chinese Super League if he is to feature regularly for a club side again this season after the Colombian’s hopes of returning to Spain were dashed on transfer deadline day.

The forward, who was loaned by Monaco to Chelsea for the current campaign, has been absent since the end of October with a series of thigh injuries but hopes to be fit again within the next month. The Premier League club had made clear to Mendes and Monaco their willingness to cancel the loan arrangement, particularly now they have added Alexandre Pato and retained Loïc Rémy as back-ups to the first-choice striker, Diego Costa.

Monaco indicated they would prefer not to bring the forward back to Stade Louis II but were happy for him to find another loan club for the remainder of the season. To that end, Falcao travelled to Spain on Monday while Mendes spoke to Atlético Madrid, where his client had enjoyed a productive two-year spell earlier in his career, and Valencia over a potential six-month deal.

Yet, while Mendes enjoys significant influence at both clubs, neither move materialised before the cut-off, effectively leaving the 29-year-old striker in limbo facing up to being fourth choice at Stamford Bridge or seeking a move to the Far East.

The transfer window in the money-flushed Chinese league does not close until 26 February, offering hope to the likes of Jiangsu Suning – who secured the Brazil midfielder, Ramires, from Chelsea for an initial £20m last month – to recruit the Colombia forward, with the player’s immediate future now effectively in his agent’s hands.

Falcao has managed a solitary goal in 11 appearances for the Premier League champions, with only one top-flight start en route, since arriving last summer.