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Associated Press

Once rated as the next best thing, ex-United youngster Kiko Macheda has contract terminated

The Italian striker had been with Cardiff since 2014.

ITALIAN STRIKER FEDERICO MACHEDA is on the lookout for a new club after his Cardiff contract was terminated by mutual consent.

The 25-year-old had been with the Welsh club since 2014 and finished his debut season in the Championship with six goals.

But, having made no league start in the 2015-2016 campaign, he joined Nottingham Forest on loan.

He made just three appearances for them, though, and returned to Cardiff for pre-season but was not included in Cardiff’s touring party for their trip to Germany.

Macheda was told he could leave the club in late-July.

The former Manchester United striker had an astounding start to his senior career at Old Trafford, memorably coming on as a substitute to make his debut with the club trailing Aston Villa in 2009.

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Cristiano Ronaldo conjured an equaliser before Macheda, then only 17, turned brilliantly in injury time before curling a superb strike inside the far post to give United a crucial victory on their way to the title.

Macheda scored against Sunderland in the club’s next fixture too but would never reach the same dizzying heights again.

There were two more senior goals – against Chelsea and Villa again – but by the second half of the 2010/2011 season, he was back in Italy and on loan with Sampdoria.

From there, it was a litany of temporary stops: QPR, Stuttgart, Doncaster and Birmingham before signing for Cardiff.

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Feb 8th 2017, 12:14 PM

    7k fine to a 17 year old is ridiculous for what he done. Code vialiation is about all he deserved.

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    Mute Ted Logan
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    Feb 8th 2017, 12:32 PM

    If he can keep hitting the ball with that accuracy he should be long making back the $7000.

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    Mute Fear Uisce
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    Feb 8th 2017, 12:39 PM

    Accidently on purpose hit the ref

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    Mute Damien Costello
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    Feb 8th 2017, 1:11 PM

    Well I think if he done it on purpose he would’ve missed by a mile. You see the bigger names smashing balls and throwing rackets into the crowd and at officials and nothing happening to them.

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    Mute Paul Scanlon
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    Feb 8th 2017, 1:24 PM

    Total BS the lad didn’t intentionally hit the umpire. It was an accident, We all make mistake. I think they should have taken a break and continued with the match. A simple apology would have been appropriate. Imposing a 7k fine on a child is ridiculous

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    Mute DuskyTheCat
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    Feb 8th 2017, 2:17 PM

    Child my ass.

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    Mute Name
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    Feb 12th 2017, 6:54 AM

    To all who red thumbed me the other day for suggesting the book should be thrown at him. The umpire was operated on for an orbital bone fracture. Accident? Yes. Wreckless? Utterly.

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    Mute Ollie Watson
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    Feb 8th 2017, 4:41 PM

    Fair play brightens up the boring sport

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