Date: 13th May 2011 at 2:20am
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As the season comes to an end, with United on course to rule England and potential Europe, there is a somewhat positive air around the club.

This hasn’t always been the case this season as various events on and off the field have put a dampener on proceedings but with that behind us and just a point needed on Saturday to seal a record breaking 19th title many of these so called problems have been put on the back burner.

But come June when all the games have been played, we will have to face these issue like replacing Edwin van der Sar and bringing in a midfielder (if that is indeed on the agenda). A number of youngsters are shining at lower levels in the club whilst others have shone whilst out on loan so what becomes of these starlets also needs to be sorted out.

The likes of Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck have built a buzz around their names at teams like Wigan and Sunderland and months ago Sir Alex spoke highly of them claiming they would be getting plenty of games next season. Their performances have merited so and whilst the actual capacity in which they will be used is disputed the fact Sir Alex has singled them out and even stated so is promising.

But now a question must be raised about another United youngster.

Bursting onto the scene in the manner in which he did, Kiko Macheda was always going to have much to live up to. Sir Alex’s comparisons with the departing Cristiano Ronaldo won’t have helped but for a player with his attitude it won’t have bothered the Italian. A good pre season in the States, impressive performances in the reserves and an ever so important goal against Aston Villa (who else?) showed that he had the class that it was thought, it just needed to be nurtured.

Perhaps a sustained spell of games would do him good and as January approached a loan spell was considered.

It’s no secret that the club wanted him to stay in England and West Brom, with then manager Roberto Di Matteo, was the preferred destination but the player had his eyes and heart set on a return to his home country Italy. There is no saying how his spell at West Brom would have gone. They brought in Carlos Vela instead and he hasn’t done too bad there but that is no measuring stick as to how Macheda would have done so instead we can look at his spell at the club he did choose.

Macheda’s move to Sampdoria was an interesting one, he was welcomed and fans turned out to watch him train and he got a against Udinese in the Coppa Italia but that has pretty much been the highlight of his spell back in his native country.

Italian football is very different to English football so it was rightly thought that he would have done better to stay in this country as he was essentially being sent out on loan to make him a better United player but circumstance hasn’t quite allowed for this to happen. Lack of game time has been the main problem for the young Italian as he has been reduced to appearances off the bench and this has lead he himself to admit that the spell hasn’t exactly gone as he planned and perhaps he would have done better to stay over here,

“I don’t know why it hasn’t worked for me at Sampdoria, perhaps people expected that I would replace Cassano.

“But I’m not Cassano, I am Macheda. And the Italian football, the tactics, is different to the English. I prefer the English, more physical and faster.”

Part of being young (not just a young footballer) is learning from your mistakes and it is apparent that he has made a mistake and he realises this.

Sir Alex himself previously said,

“I speak to Macheda by phone and in June I want him back. He is a natural scorer.”

But confusion now surrounds Macheda’s future.

Whilst some media outlets report that he is set for a permanent move away from the club others suggest that Sampdoria may be looking at bringing the young Italian back to Italy next season even if they are relegated to Serie B, something very plausible. Macheda has accepted the move to Italy hasn’t worked out for him and Sir Alex has said he wants him back but with United’s striking options looking healthy a move away even if temporary could be on the cards.

Rooney, Berbatov, Hernandez, Owen (?) and Welbeck will be hard to implement, even now the club’s top scorer finds himself on the bench so adding Macheda to that mix further muddies the waters.

United and Macheda will have an interesting summer ahead and both parties have some serious choices to make in terms of the development of a obviously talented player.

Read Piers Morgan’s pitiful predictions from the start of the season

 

5 responses to “So what now for this young United starlet?”

  1. jonathan says:

    I’ll admit I was dead wrong about Sampdoria being a positive move and they need to bring him back. As it’s often been said, his confidence is key to his game and he may be at a crucial stage where that can be placed in jeoparady.

    It seems there is a very positive morale in our team at large and players are really connected to each other. He obviously seems to have a connection to that, and a return may very well inspire confidence and even personal happiness which affects performance as well. While it may appear to be a step back, I wouldn’t mind if he returned, even if it only meant another year of splitting time between first and reserve team. He’s still very young, and I think keeping him closer to the fold is probably best at this stage.

  2. RedScot says:

    I personally think we are all trying to second guess these transfer rumours that are bound to be rife at this stage of the season.Its a forlorn hope in my humble opinion.Its the nature of football fans to ‘imagine’ this player and that player in your team and the correct course of action for their progress.I dont believe Sir Alex ever really alerts other teams or the ‘media’ of United’s signings or planned transfers out of the club.As soon as any potential target is tipped to be leaving or wanted the valuation of that player changes particularly when a huge club is involved.
    Not wishing to dampen any body’s mojo, thats simply the procedure.Agents will continually use various methods through their favoured media channel’s to increase interest in their assests, aka Kiko in this case.
    It will be sad to see him go, he really in hindsight should have never attempted to create a career in Italy if he wanted a successfull one in the Premiership, particularly at a club where United’s influence over the player limited.
    As we saw at Preston a club under the control of Darren Ferguson, where United could maintain some degree of the players progress.Young Mr Ferguson is dismissed, the players immediately asked to return to Old Trafford, wether out of spite or the players on loan, own good, who knows.I suspect for the players benifit.
    The point really is lets hope Macheda has learnt from this and takes on board the advice he no doubt was offered from United and chose apparently to ignore.

  3. jose says:

    I think he should be loaned out to a prem club next season, if he doesn’t want that he can be sold. If he had of went out this season he could of proved himself, but even if he had played well in Italy this year it wouldn’t of meant he could do it in the prem. would like to see him making it at united tho.

    • RedScot says:

      Well said Jose.The point i think I was trying to make, there is an article on the ‘news now site'(Daily Star) discussing Javier Hernandez and his new wage to keep him at United, based on his fantastic first season at United! How does the Star no this information?Its pure fiction and very annoying.
      I think I should start writing for some spoof site, to use my vivid imagination in making up nonesense! lol

  4. Tom says:

    I think we should maybe loan him to Sunderland next season. I mean they need new strikers now and Bruce will always look after anyone they loan from us.

    We will have Welbeck back next season, so it might make sense for Macheda to go to Sunderland. Bolton would be another good option as they also have a good manager Fergie would trust.