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Former Manchester United striker closing in on move to Premier League rivals
FORMER Manchester United striker Federico Macheda is reportedly closing in on a move to Watford.
Federico Macheda could make Premier League return
The Italian frontman is currently without a club after he was released by Cardiff at the end of last season.
Macheda spent two years at the Championship outfit after leaving United, where he failed to live up to his potential after joining the club aged 16 from Lazio.
The 25-year-old scored the winner in the 3-2 defeat of Aston Villa on his Red Devils bow in 2009 and found the back of the net again against Sunderland the following week.
But he struggled at the Premier League giants from then on and managed just five goals in 36 appearances in all competitions before Louis van Gaal released him in 2014.
Macheda appears to have been handed a life line by Watford, though, with The Mirror reporting he is currently at the Hornets on trial.
The Italian striker reportedly failed to secure a return to the Serie A after seeing a move to Pescara fall through earlier this month.
Macheda, who is keen to impress Hornets boss Walter Mazzarri and remain in England, scored a penalty in Watford Under-23s' 4-2 loss at Hull on Tuesday.