Federico Macheda will try and put the frustrations of previous seasons behind him and enjoy what could be a defining season for his career and future at Manchester United.
The 20-year-old hasn’t had the easiest of times since joining United in 2008 with strikers Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernandez all ahead of him when it comes to starting games. For example, the Italian has made just 12 starts for United over the past three seasons.
Macheda has went out on loan twice in the last two years and both, most would argue, were a waste of time. First at Sampdoria in Italy, then QPR. In total he made just 17 appearances away from United but never managed to get himself on the score sheet.
However, the youngster’s spell at Loftus Road was cut short by an ankle injury, therefore, Macheda has not played a competitive game since February after undergoing surgery. But the former Lazio striker is ready to put the past behind him and prove doubters wrong next season at Old Trafford.
“It’s great to be back at Manchester United,” said Macheda. “When you go on loan you really understand how important it is to play for this club. I’m really happy to be back and I can’t wait for the start of the season. Last season was disappointing. In the first six months I didn’t get a lot of opportunities here so we decided it was best for me to go on loan. When I got to QPR things went a bit wrong, though, as I was feeling my ankle a lot. But now I feel a lot better and want to start the season well. It’s a big season for me.”
Macheda is all set for United’s pre-season tour to South Africa, China and Europe. “I’m really looking forward to it,” he added. “It’s always great to visit fans in different countries. You meet new people, you see new cities, you experience different cultures. I didn’t know how big the club was around the world when I went away for the first time in 2009. But I was very impressed by Malaysia, China and Korea. We have great support all over the world and I love being part of this team.”
