Manchester United Loan Striker Federico Macheda to Stuttgart for Season

Federico Macheda may be a future star in the Premier League, but he’ll spend the rest of the season getting regular playing time with VfB Stuttgart.

According to Adam Marshall of ManUtd.com, the clubs reached a temporary loan agreement that will send Macheda to the Bundesliga club for the remainder of the season. He has previously been loaned to Sampdoria and QPR (via ManUtd.com).

The move gives Stuttgart a young star in the making to use for the rest of the season. It will also allow Macheda regular playing time, which he was not getting with Manchester United. It is a good deal for both clubs, and Macheda should return to United with extra experience under his belt.

For Macheda, it now becomes about turning his sights to the new challenge.

"For me, it is about getting to know the team and what I can bring because we have a lot of interesting games in three different competitions in front of us," he said.

United sit ahead of the rest of the pack in the Premier League, leading Manchester City by five points and Chelsea by 11 points. With a deal for Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha almost in place, moving another youngster to a club on which he will get some regular playing time was a wise choice.

According to Marshall, director of sport Fredi Bobic “admitted Macheda has been scouted extensively” by other clubs. He is a potential future star, and United will be an even better club when he returns with more playing time and experience.

Macheda has only played "54 minutes of first-team football this season," and he hasn't scored a first-team goal since 2011, according to ESPN's Richard Jolly. It's clear he needs regular minutes that he will likely get with Stuttgart.