United Rant

Former Manchester United midfielder Gordon Strachan wants youngster Federico Macheda on loan, according to the Scot’s transfer target list. Strachan’s list, exposed in the media this week, includes the 17-year-old Italian alongside several other Premier League strikers. The former-United right-winger, appointed Middlesbrough manager on Tuesday, refused to comment.

Macheda hit the headlines following goals against Aston Villa and Sunderland in successive matches last season. The teenager striker is yet to appear in the Premier League this season following reports of a bust-up with Anderson and a poor attitude at training. However, the former Lazio player started United’s Carling Cup match with Barnsley, Tuesday.

It is doubtful that manager Sir Alex Ferguson will allow Macheda to leave on loan, with no senior cover for strikers Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen.

Strachan, 52, played nearly 200 games for Untied after signing in 1984 from Aberdeen for £500,000. The ginger midfielder also played in the 1985 FA Cup final win over Everton and took Scotland to the 1986 World Cup, before being sold to Leeds in 1989.

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