Macheda near Old Trafford exit?

According to reports, Federico Macheda will leave Manchester United to go on loan to Serie A side Lazio.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson wants the young star to get regular first-team action, and according to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport, was brutally honest with Macheda with his chances at Old Trafford now.
The player has apparently welcomed the move back to the club he left for Old Trafford previously.

The loan deal would be conducted in the January transfer window, and Lazio will have an option to buy Macheda back from United permanently at the end of the season, a move similar to the one which saw fellow Italian Giuseppe Rossi leave Old Trafford for Villarreal three seasons ago.
Although Macheda has been a hit with fans after crucial goals in United's last title-winning season in 2008, he has not been able to nail down a starting place in Ferguson's squad.
With players like Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Owen all ahead of him in the strikers pecking order, Macheda could very well find his future lies away from United, not unlike current Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, who failed to settle at Old Trafford, but came into his own when he returned back to his previous club.

source:espn