After Ferderico Macheda shot himself into the centre of Premier League news with his late goal at Aston Villa who would have thought Man United would be attacked.Lazio president Claudio Loitito believed the title chasers treat their young star's as if they nothing more than cattle. Loitito arguing the player would be still be a Lazio player if it wasn't for Man United's bullish tactics.
But is this a problem with professional football we already knew and is it inevitable? The big clubs have always been able to attract the best players whether that is through the desire for success or financial reasons. There has been a string of players who have been brought to Old Trafford from clubs that had an emotional attachment to the player.
The system is against the Italian clubs who are unable to offer professional contracts to their under 18 players. Although, is the Lazio president thinking more the club's bank balance than the benefit of his young players? A professional contract would have tied Machena to Lazio and subsequently meant that if Ferguson wanted him a transfer fee would have been needed.
The power struggle between clubs will continue as will the 'cattle market' debate but once again it seems money will always be the top priority in modern football.
