Birmingham City boss Lee Clark made a triple swoop on Manchester United yesterday.

Birmingham have signed Federico Macheda on loan from Manchester United, alongside fellow Red Devils Tom Thorpe and Tyler Blackett.

Macheda is by some distance the highest profile player among the trio, having burst on to the scene as a teenager in 2009, when he scored in his first two appearances.

United have no recall clause on the player, who goes straight into Birmingham's squad for their match at Derby on Saturday.