Ten Hag repeats Garnacho transfer trick as wonderkid signs Man Utd deal
Gabriele Biancheri has signed his first professional contract with Manchester United after arriving at the club from Cardiff earlier this year.
United paid a six-figure sum to secure the forward from the Welsh capital club earlier this year and handed the teenager his first professional contract on Monday, as he celebrated his 17 th birthday. Figures at the club believe he is destined for a successful senior career with comparisons to the trajectory of Alejandro Garnacho.
The Argentine international has, while still a teenager, established himself in Erik ten Hag’s first-team squad. Like Biancheri, he arrived at United – from Atletico Madrid – for a six-figure transfer fee and like the Welsh youth international, can play on either side of an attacking front three.
Garnacho joined United as a 16-year-old when the club paid £420k to secure the highly-rated forward and he signed his first professional contract several months later, in July 2020, when he celebrated his 17 th birthday. That is exactly the same trajectory that Biancheri has enjoyed.
Alongside a picture of himself signing the contract, Biancheri wrote on social media : "Very proud moment for me and my family signing my first professional contract". Biancheri, who made his United Under-18 debut in March, scored his first goal just four minutes into his first match and his progress has continued since.
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Ten Hag has shown a willingness to promote youth stars into his first-team squad, with Garnacho’s continued inclusion driven by the Dutch boss – who has also handed Kobbie Mainoo a permanent berth in the squad.
Biancheri, who is a Wales under-17 international, caught the eye playing in Cardiff ’s academy last year. After scoring 17 goals in his first 11 matches of the season for the under-18s, he was promoted to the under-21s, where he made his debut against Wolves in December.
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Biancheri has starred at youth level for Wales (Ben McShane - Sportsfile/UEFA via Getty Images)After attracting interest from Chelsea, he decided to move to United in January. His decision may have been influenced by David Hughes, who joined United as a Professional Development Phase coach last summer after working as Cardiff's academy chief.
Speaking in December, Cardiff under-18 head coach Steve Jenkins expressed plenty of excitement about Biancheri’s potential, stating: “There’s a long way to go with him being only 16, but he’s been fantastic stepping up.” He added: “Goals are brilliant for him, and his two against Bristol City to win us the game earned that call up to the U21s, and when he had his 45 minutes for them I was really impressed.”
Earlier this year, Biancheri spoke of his opening months at Old Trafford, telling the Welsh FA’s Red Wall+ channel: "It's gone really well. There have been a couple of difficult moments, like leaving home, not being with my family, moving houses, moving away from my friends. But this is what I've always wanted, to play for a team like Man United, it's a dream come true.
"To qualify for Wales, if you had said at the start of the Croatia camp, we'd be where we are now. Wow." While he has been playing for Wales at youth level, Biancheri is also eligible to represent England and Italy internationally.
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