Federico Macheda scored a last-minute winner on his Manchester United debut against Aston Villa in 2009

It is almost five years since Federico Macheda announced his arrival on the Premier League stage in Roy of the Rovers fashion.

Then aged just 17, the Italian deubtant came from the bench for Manchester United to score a last-minute winner against Aston Villa - a stunning curler at the Stretford End - as the Devils closed in on the Premier League title; a star had been born.

Dream start: Federico Macheda scored a last-minute winner on his Manchester United debut against Aston Villa in 2009

Red alert: Macheda was immediately tipped for a big future at Old Trafford but made just five league start for the Devils

A LOAN-LY EXISTENCE

Federico Macheda's loan moves...

Sampdoria (2011) - 14 apps, 0 gls
QPR (2012) - 5 apps, 1 goal
Stuttgart (2013) - 17 apps, 0 gls
Doncaster (2013) - 15 apps, 3 gls
B'ham (2014-) - 2 apps, 3 gls

For the next 18 months, however, he flirted with the United senior side - making more appearances in the second-string - before the first of five loan moves, the latest of which has taken him to the Championship and Birmingham City.

There he will remain until the end of the season and, with his release from Old Trafford expected this summer, his future remains uncertain.

Blues boss Lee Clark, however, would love nothing more than to keep Macheda at St Anderw’s, especially given his impressive start in the Midlands.

The 22-year-old scored both goals during Birmingham’s 2-0 win at Charlton on Saturday having marked his debut with the equaliser in a 3-3 draw at home to Derby.

Blue order: Macheda scored three times from his first two outings for Birmingham

And Clark couldn’t have been more taken with his new recruit.

‘We knew what we were getting. He’s a proven goalscorer,’ the Geordie boss told Sportsmail.

‘He was a last-minute signing because he had options – he could have gone back to Italy and Cardiff were also interested.

‘So we were delighted to get him and it’s good to know we’ve definitely got him until the end of the season.

‘We could look to sign him at the end of the season. He’s out of contract and, from our side, it will obviously depend on finance.

‘But it would definitely interest me as a manager.’

And Clark believes Macheda is something of a rare breed amid a generation whose preference is for the deep-lying playmaker role.

‘He’s someone who enjoys being in between the posts,’ he went on. ‘All young players these days want to be a No.10 – he wants to be a No.9 and I love that.

‘We make a lot of chances and he is perfect for us. He scored two terrific goals on Saturday, real scorer’s goals.

‘For me, that makes him a little bit different to what else is out there and I still think the lad has a big future ahead of him.’

Clark could well be the man to get Macheda back on track.