Source: Telegraph
Federico Macheda heroics leave sour taste in Lazio mouths
The 17-year-old Macheda, a product of Serie A side Lazio's youth system, scored in stoppage time on Sunday to give the Premier League champions a crucial 3-2 win over Aston Villa.
"It's unthinkable that a lad of 15 can be bought as if it was a cattle market," Lotito told Italy's Sky television. "Normally these boys are not from wealthy families and they look for alternatives in foreign countries for economic reasons."
Born in Rome, Macheda joined United in 2007 - in fact when he was 16 - and in August became the latest in a string of non-English youngsters to sign professional forms with a Premier League club.
Fifa wants to protect under-18 players and keep them with their local clubs but employment law complicates the situation.
"We knew that he was a great player, we did everything to keep him. We can not allow ourselves to behave in a way which I feel is immoral.
"We could not compete with United's offer. That is not right, we have to be provided with more reliable and concrete rules than those which govern Italian clubs"
While Macheda is the toast of the Premier League, the club he left behind are languishing in mid-table. Lotito said his Lazio players would be packed off on a training camp and may have wages held back after they lost 2-0 at Siena on Sunday in the latest in a series of poor displays.
