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Man Utd striker Gabriele Biancheri could be involved in Wales-Canada tug-of-war

By Mark Mansfield
Gabriele Biancheri (Credit: FAW)

Manchester United striker Gabriele Biancheri could be involved in a potential tug-of-war between Wales and Canada.

The Cardiff-born 18-year-old, who left his hometown club to move north in February 2023, has been a regular goalscorer for United’s youth teams and recently stepped up to train with Ruben Amorim’s senior squad at Old Trafford.

Biancheri has been capped by Wales from Under-16 to Under-19 levels and his scoring exploits have attracted the attention of Craig Bellamy.

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Training camp

The Wales boss called Biancheri into a training camp ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Belgium, and he is currently in Spain with Bellamy’s squad.

But Biancheri’s Wales future has been thrown into doubt by Canada inviting him to join their squad for friendlies against Ukraine and Ivory Coast next month.

Announcing Jesse Marsch’s squad for those Toronto games, the Canada Soccer Association said: “Canada has also invited two training players to join the squad: Gabriele Biancheri from Manchester United Academy and Jonathan Sirois from CF Montreal.”

Biancheri is eligible to play for Canada through his Canada-born mother, while he also qualifies to play for Italy through his father.

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8 comments

Y Cymro

Sure he, Gabriele Biancheri, could play for Canada. And yes also for Italy. But why represent Wales at under-16 & 19 level if not serious about representing your country? I suggest Craig Bellamy bring him into the Wales squad if he's that good a prospect before it's too late.

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Fi yn unig

Hopefully, having been with the young squads, he’ll have his head around the words and meaning of Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (even though his Dad is Italian) but maybe the Frank Hennessy song could help too. ‘I’m Cardiff born and Cardiff bred and when I dies I’ll be Cardiff dead. They’ll build a little plot in Splott in memory of me’. That should do it.

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Y Cymro

Well said. Hopefully he weighs up the pros & cons. Love Canada, it's a vast beautiful country, but its national sport is not even football but Ice Hockey. With Wales he'd play in both World Cup and Euro qualifiers and have fanatical support.

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In reply to Y Cymro

Fi yn unig

Yes indeed. I hope he goes with us but his heart could be tugged 3 ways with Italy in the mix.

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Canadian

Why would Biancheri play for Wales when: * Wales is ranked lower (despite having better competition which results in an inflated ranking) * Canada is guaranteed a spot at the next World Cup * Canada's trajectory has been rocketing up the rankings due to a number of players opting to wear the maple leaf where traditionally they would go elsewhere (call it the Alphonso Davies effect) If he can't reach for Italy, then Canada is the next best option. (Just has to survive food poisoning in Mexico, Honduras, and Nicaragua during Concacaf battles).

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Ianto

He didn't "move north", or he'd be at Wrecsam or Rhyl or Bangor. He moved to England.

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Karl

Well said,had me confused, when did Manxhester join Cymru

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Johnny

Move North was one time a common phrase for Welsh Rugby Union Players switching to Rugby League.

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