Former Manchester United forward Federico Macheda has told La Gazzetta dello Sport he will always be grateful to Sir Alex Ferguson after finding form again with Serie B club Novara.
Macheda, 25, joined Novara in December -- a move that had Ferguson's backing -- after being released by Cardiff City last summer and then training with Watford.
He returned to the headlines after scoring twice in a 3-2 win over third-placed Frosinone at the weekend.
And speaking nine years after making his United debut in the FA Cup semifinal against Everton, he said: "I was living a dream in one of the best stadiums in the world, in one of the best clubs in the world.