It is not perhaps the move that most people had expected, but one of the world's most clinical strikers has left Atletico Madrid.
Radamel Falcao had been linked with some of the biggest teams in Europe - Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea to name just three - but the Colombian international, who scored 70 goals in two seasons at the Vicente Calderon, has opted to sign for Monaco in Ligue 1.
Having received a reported £50m for the 27-year-old from their French counterparts, there are not too many centre-forwards who would be financially out of Atletico's reach.
However, who could they tempt into filling the void? Here, Sports Mole takes a look at five possible candidates.
Leo Baptistao, Rayo Vallecano
If reports in Spain are to be believed, Leo agreed to become an Atletico player many months ago. He may have only found the net seven times last season, but his all-round play is thought to have impressed Atletico boss Diego Simeone. The 20-year-old is by no means a direct replacement for Falcao - he doesn't possess the clinical instincts for a start. However, because his transfer fee would not be overly large, his arrival would not prevent Los Rojiblancos from adding another striker to their squad.
Christian Benteke, Aston Villa
When Benteke first arrived in England with Villa, a large number of people questioned manager Paul Lambert's judgement. He had signed a virtual unknown youngster from Belgium and handed him Darren Bent's place in the starting lineup. The Scottish boss was proved to be correct, though, with the £7m that he reportedly paid now looking like a bargain. The 22-year-old hit 23 goals in all competitions last year and was a big reason as to why Villa were able to secure their status as a Premier League club for another campaign.
Javier Hernandez, Manchester United
There are very few strikers around at this present moment in time who can match Hernandez's eye for goal. The Mexican international spent the majority of last season way down the pecking order at Old Trafford behind Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck, yet he still managed to score 18 times. His record at international level is also very good, netting 32 goals from his 47 outings for the Central American nation. He may not have the ability on the ball that Falcao does, but in terms of converting chances from inside the penalty area, there are few better.
David Villa, Barcelona
Recent speculation has suggested that Spanish international Villa has opted for a move to the Premier League this summer, with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool all thought to be interested in his services. However, should Atletico firm up their reported interest, they may be able to convince the 31-year-old to remain in Spain. His reason for leaving Barca is a lack of time on the pitch, something that Atletico can now offer him following Falcao's departure. A switch to Atletico would only mean that he would have to move his family from city to city, rather than country to country. El Guaje has scored almost 300 goals at club level and is Spain's leading goalscorer of all time.
Luis Suarez, Liverpool
The Uruguayan may have possibly set his sights on a bigger club after he announced that he wanted to leave Liverpool, but Atletico have both the funds and the offer of Champions League football that may sway the 26-year-old. He has been heavily linked with Atletico's rivals Real Madrid, but if that move fails to materialise, he is running out of options. The chance to try to better a fellow South American could prove a tempting one for Suarez.
