Craig Bellamy addresses tug-of-war for rising Man Utd star as fresh twist emerges

Wales Online

2 days ago

Craig Bellamy addresses tug-of-war for rising Man Utd star as fresh twist emerges
The teenager is set to link up with the Canada squad for a training camp this summer
Gabriele Biancheri is set to link up with the Canadian national team this summer
(Image: 2024 Manchester United FC )
Wales boss Craig Bellamy insists he has no issue with Manchester United starlet Gabriel Biancheri accepting a call from Canada this summer.
The 18-year-old has come through the age groups with Wales, but is eligible to play for Canada through his mother.
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He was recently included in Bellamy's training camp earlier this month, and there had been some suggestion he could be in line for his first cap in a bid to tie him down to the nation of his birth.
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But Bellamy insists he has no issue with young players assessing the set-ups at other national teams before making a decision over who to represent.
Biancheri is set to link up with the rest of the Canada squad for a training camp ahead of the friendlies with Ukraine and Ivory Coast early next month, although it seems he won't be available to play in either game.
"I like people having options, it's healthy," Bellamy said. "He's not ready for our squad yet. It's something he'd like to go and have a look at, but I like to think we have done our work as well. He has been with us through the younger age groups, he knows what we are about and who we are.
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"I don't think it ever hurts someone to have options and to go and explore them. I'm never against that. At the end the decision will be his. He knows where we are and where he is. He's not ready for first team football with us at this moment.
"It's his decision. I've known him since he was very young and I know his family really well. Whatever he does will be the right thing for him, it's not a problem."
Biancheri is highly-rated young prospect at United, having scored 21 goals in 35 appearances for the Red Devils at youth level. He has been similarly impressive for Wales under-19s, netting eight goals in 10 outings.
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Canada manager Jesse Marsch is clearly a big admirer of his abilities, and there's clearly some hope that the forward, who also qualifies for Italy, can be persuaded to pledge allegiance to Canada.
"He's a dynamic player," Marsch said recently. "He's very good around the goal. You can see he's an intelligent player.
'He's a version of Jonathan David. He's not exactly the same player but he's a striker that can play up on the backline but also is good at coming underneath and connecting plays and being part of the buildup phase.'
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'I've had good conversations with Gabe and his family. He has several options to think about in what country he wants to represent.
'I always feel like, for a lot of the dual nationals that I'm talking to, the best way for them to really feel how great it is to be around this team is to be around the team, because the guys are great, the environment is really strong and open.
"And I know that once they come in and work with the guys and see the mentality of the overall group, they're always going to enjoy it.
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'I talked to him about how he thinks he would fit into us and how I think he would benefit from the experience of being with us. I spoke with his father and his mother at length, and we talked about the overall opportunity of what it would mean to play for the Canadian national team.
"I think it's really important that the family feels the connection to Canada. I've always wanted to make sure that what it means to be Canadian and what it means to represent the Canadian national team is in their heart, that it's something that is true to who they are.
'So I think this will be good for Gabe, to see what the experience is like, and then to see how he fits in.'
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'Even him and his father were like, 'where do you see Gabe overall in your group?' And I said, look, the striker position is competitive with us, but he's still young, and I think he could have the opportunity to establish himself as a flexible player in the way we play, a little bit like how Jonathan David plays.'