Transfer news: Manchester United striker Federico Macheda close to agreeing season-long loan with Doncaster Rovers

Federico Macheda is set to go out on the fourth loan spell of his Manchester United career (GETTY IMAGES)

It appears Federico Macheda’s career with Manchester United is over, with the Italian close to agreeing a season-long loan with Doncaster Rovers in the final year of his contract with the Premier League champions. His agent, Giovanni Bia, confirmed last week that his client will leave on a free next summer when his current deal expires.

The 21-year-old striker’s Old Trafford career started with a stunning, last minute winner to cap a memorable comeback in United’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa in April 2009, and he did it again in his second appearance, netting the decisive goal in United’s 2-1 win at Sunderland. But his time with the club has been on a downward spiral ever since, and the move to Championship side Doncaster will be his fourth loan spell - after joining Sampdoria in 2011, Queen’s Park Rangers in 2012, and Stuttgart in 2013. Tellingly, he scored only one goal in all of those spells, in the Coppa Italia for Sampdoria.

The Italy Under-21 international’s last club goal was scored back in November 2011, a penalty in United’s 2-1 League Cup defeat by Crystal Palace.