Manchester United’s first team got back to winning ways on Saturday with a confidence-inducing 3-0 win away to Southampton.
Coincidentally, “winning ways” is what the Manchester United U18s have been on for quite a while and they matched the victory on the same day.
Two United teams kicked off at the same time as U18s played away at Newcastle, hoping to keep their winning run intact.
Keep it intact is what they did in a commanding 5-1 win and the hero of the game was a familiar face, one who is developing a reputation of a goalscoring prodigy after his latest exploits.
Gabriele Biancheri can’t be stopped
Gabriele Biancheri added to his goals tally this season with a brace in the 5-1 win but that is increasingly becoming a common theme for him.
It was his sixth goal in his fourth game for the U18s this season, adding to his one goal on his only appearance for the U21s side, when he played just eight minutes.
In total, he has scored seven goals in five appearances but he’s scoring at a rate of almost three goals every two games when accounted for /90 stats.
Due to his poaching exploits, he has been dubbed “The next Chicharito”, as he has shown the ability to pop up at the right place at the right time in the box to finish chances.
Signed from Cardiff City as a highly-rated prospect, Biancheri has quickly moved through the youth ranks and if he keeps making a mockery of the U18s level, then he might end this season as a bonafide U21s player.
Future at Man United
In the immediate future, Erik ten Hag might want to reward Biancheri’s exploits by giving him a taste of senior football.
The fixture against Barnsley is ideal to involve some youngsters of which Biancheri has made his case to be one.
Even just a place on the bench would be a good experience for the Welshman, hammering home the message that the pathway is there for elite performers.
From there, the long-term future of Biancheri will rest on how he handles the step up to U21s football this season.
That step will undoubtedly come soon and there are many players whose game translates well across age groups but doesn’t do so for senior football.
Therefore, he would want to keep this form up for the U21s and then work with United to probably seek a loan to a team in the English football league.
As it stands, it is unlikely that he comes straight into the senior team, especially with the likes of Chido Obi-Martin also joining the youth ranks soon.
A loan move for the 2025/26 season should be the true launchpad for his career, something similar to what Joe Hugill is trying to do, just a few years older than Biancheri will be next season.
He’s off to a good start!
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