Massacci Joins United

Manchester United have grabbed Alberto Massacci, yet another young Italian after Davide Petrucci and Federico ‘Kiko’ Macheda at United. The deal is expected to be completed early next week as it is thought Massacci has already had and passed a medical at Carrington. The full-back spoke to Gazzetta dello Sport about how surprised and delighted he was when Sir Alex contacted him at first.

Sir Alex convinced him to join United after talking for more than an hour with the 16 year old defender over the telephone.

“When Sir Alex Ferguson rang me up, I couldn’t believe it,” said Massacci. “I had an hour-long conversation with him, in English. He seemed a humble person and nobody from the club made the pressure of an historic side weigh on my shoulders. In life a chance like this only comes past you once, so you’ve got to grab it with both hands. It isn’t an easy decision aged 16 to leave home, family and friends, but I don’t want to have regrets.”

United have been attacked verbally on poaching young talent from all over the world and it will add another club to the list of teams unhappy with United’s transfer styles, Empoli.

Massacci was apparently spotted by United’s chief Italian scout David Williams at the international Gallini tournament in Pordenone last year, where he was voted the tournament’s best player. As he says, it’s a big step for a 16 year-old to leave his family and friends behind to move to a new country, but Messrs Rossi, Macheda and Petrucci have proved it is manageable in recent years, and the latter pair should provide immediate help and comfort for the new arrival as he settles in.

Massacci is the second defender to be brought in from another club to bolster this year’s crop of first-years, following the signing of Charltons McGinty. They figure to compete for places in the academy back four with homegrown products like Tom Thorpe and Zeki Fryers, as well as second-years Reece Brown and Scott Wootton.

Federico Macheda, another Italian was brought over from the Lazio youth teams which left the Italian club less then impressed with the manner in which they lost a future star.