Former Lazio sports director Walter Sabatini admits he pleaded with Manchester United not to sign Federico Macheda.

"Yes I wrote to Mr Ferguson," said Sabatini yesterday. "I explained Federico was still a young player and that I wanted him to stay. I received a reply once and it just said, 'The rules permit me to do this and I will'. That was the end of it. We had lost him.

"We were ready with a contract with a date on it and waiting for his 16th birthday.

"But his parents already had their hands full with those people from United around."