Federico Macheda has struggled to deal with the pressure of fighting for Serie A survival, his agent has admitted.
The Under-21 international joined Sampdoria on loan from Manchester United in January, but he's found life tough.
"He played well at the start, then he was perhaps caught up in the vortex for survival," Giovanni Bia told TMW.
"If even the older players couldn't raise Sampdoria then a 20-year-old boy certainly wasn't going to be able to do that.
Federico Macheda has struggled to deal with the pressure of fighting for Serie A survival, his agent has admitted.
The Under-21 international joined Sampdoria on loan from Manchester United in January, but he's found life tough.
"He played well at the start, then he was perhaps caught up in the vortex for survival," Giovanni Bia told TMW.
"If even the older players couldn't raise Sampdoria then a 20-year-old boy certainly wasn't going to be able to do that.
"There is too much pressure and criticism in the Italian game and I think the player himself has been left disappointed by all of it.
"Although he settled well into the city, perhaps he rushed his return to Italy given that the game has different pressures here than in England."
Sampdoria are currently in the bottom three, two points away from survival with just two matches remaining.
"I don't know what will happen with Macheda next season, I'll have to talk to Manchester United," Bia added.
"Staying at Sampdoria could turn out to be a useful experience for him, even if they were playing in Serie B next term. However, it's too early to say at the minute."