Federico Macheda’s agent, Giovanni Bia, has conceded that the player’s loan spell has been an unsuccessful one due to the pressure he was under.

When he joined the club on loan at the beginning of the year they were 8th, however, they have felt the departure of Antonio Cassano, who left for AC Milan a month before Kiko’s arrival. Cassano had scored 5 goals in 9 games before leaving and it appears as though our striker hasn’t coped well in trying to fill the former Real Madrid player’s boots.

Sampdoria are now 18th and 2 points away from safety.

“He played well at the start, then he was perhaps caught up in the vortex for survival,” he said. “If even the older players couldn’t raise Sampdoria then a 20-year-old boy certainly wasn’t going to be able to do that. There is too much pressure and criticism in the Italian game and I think the player himself has been left disappointed by all of it. Although he settled well into the city, perhaps he rushed his return to Italy given that the game has different pressures here than in England.”

Kiko’s agent hasn’t ruled out the possibility of the player staying in Italy next season though.

“I don’t know what will happen with Macheda next season, I’ll have to talk to Manchester United,” Bia added. “Staying at Sampdoria could turn out to be a useful experience for him, even if they were playing in Serie B next term. However, it’s too early to say at the minute.”