Gabriele Biancheri was one of the standout Manchester United academy performers from the 2024-25 season.
At 18 years old, the former Cardiff City striker is showcasing the potential to become elite for the Red Devils.
This season, he was the star of the Manchester United academy despite missing over a month through injury, racking up an impressive 25 goals and seven assists across under-21 and under-18 levels.
Gabriele Biancheri impressed and earned himself a call-up into first team training under Ruben Amorim, with it widely expected he will get a chance in pre-season.
With the performances Biancheri has been putting in, it has even caught the eye outside Old Trafford.
Como attempted to buy Biancheri from United in January, but were told that the club had no intention of letting the Welshman go. After this, it was claimed that Biancheri’s senior debut for United was imminent.
It is yet to happen, but now he has been the subject of international call-up interest.
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Gabriele Biancheri called up to the senior training squad by Canada
Biancheri was born in Wales, however, he is also eligible to play international football in the future for Canada or Italy through his parents.
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In a bid to secure him, as Biancheri has been incredible for Wales’ youth teams, the Welsh FA and Craig Bellamy called the teenager into a 29-man senior training squad this month, which he accepted swiftly.
This likely rules out the potential Italian interest as they won’t offer him a fast track to senior international minutes.
But Canada could, and head coach Jesse Marsch has called Biancheri into his senior squad for the 2025 Canadian Shield tournament, which kicks off in June.
If Biancheri heads to this camp and features for Canada, he could very quickly turn his attention to declaring for The Canucks, with Marsch speaking in glowing terms about the teenage forward.
READ: Man Utd under-21s top scorers and assists in 2024/25, all results
Jesse Marsch heaps praise on Manchester United starlet Gabriele Biancheri
Biancheri would be a real coup for Canada, and speaking with One Soccer, Marsch spoke in glowing terms about the wonderkid and even compared him with 37-goal contribution Lille star Jonathan David.
“He’s a technically gifted player, you can see he’s an intelligent player, he’s a version of Jonathan David, he’s not exactly the same but he’s a striker who can play on the back line but is also good at coming underneath and connecting plays and being part of the build-up phase.
“I have talked to him about how he fits in with us and how I think he benefits from the experience of being with us. I think this will be good for Gabe to see overall what the experience is like and then to see how he fits in, because even he and his father asked, ‘Where do you see Gabe fitting in with your group?’
“I said to look, the striker position is competitive with us, but he’s still young and I think he could establish himself as a flexible player in the way we play, a little bit like how Jonathan David plays.”
David has been linked with joining United ahead of his Lille contract expiring this summer, and he is a truly special footballer. David is Canada’s record all-time goalscorer, making this very high praise for Biancheri.
It sounds like Marsch has a plan for Biancheri, so it wouldn’t be a shock if he was convinced.