Macca has been unable to make the breakthrough at Burnley and said last summer, when signing his latest contract, that this was a make or break season for him at Turf Moor. He'd spent the second half of last season at Plymouth and was, reportedly, considering a permanent return.
He started the season here and was used as a substitute in the defeat at Huddersfield before starting the Capital One Cup tie against Plymouth three days later. That week also saw him return to Plymouth in another loan deal which ended in early December.
There were strong suggestions then that he could be going back in the New Year and that looks more likely today with Plymouth Argyle boss Carl Fletcher saying: "A deal to bring Alex MacDonald back to Home Park for a third, permanent, time has been agreed but only if the finances can be resolved."
Fletcher added: "He wants to come here, we want him here, verbally it's all done. We just have to wait on the finances. We have got nothing to play with at the moment and we have got to see where we go with that."
It was April 2008 when MacDonald made his Burnley debut in the last home game of the 2007/08 season. He's made a total of 11 league appearances for us but all from the bench, his only two starts coming in cup games against Cardiff and Plymouth.
He's found it difficult to break into the first team in the wide position he's most often used and with Dane Richards set to be added to the competition in that area it makes it even more difficult for him.
Now 22, he needs more regular football and he's been getting that at Plymouth having made 35 appearances for them in his two loan spells.
Source: Clarets Mad
Source: FOOTYMAD
