Manchester United teen Gabe Biancheri gets 1st taste of camp with Canada

Born in Wales to a Canadian mother and Italian father, Gabe Biancheri has options when it comes to playing international soccer.

The 18-year-old Manchester United academy forward has already represented Wales at the youth level and attended a Welsh senior camp. Now he is getting a taste of Canada as a training player with Jesse Marsch's squad at the Canadian Shield Tournament.

Having already represented Wales at the 2023 UEFA U-17 Championship and in UEFA U-19 qualifying, Biancheri would have to make a one-time switch with FIFA to change international allegiance.

"I don't know what is going to happen next," Biancheri said of his international future. "I've got some time."

But for the time being, he is weighing his options and checking out Canada.

"All the players and all the staff have made me feel very welcome to ease me in," Biancheri said.

Biancheri's mother was born in Calgary but moved to Florida when she was six. University brought her to Wales where she met Biancheri's father, a native of Sicily who came to Wales for work.

Biancheri is also eligible for England given his grandmother on his mother's side was born in Birmingham.

While England has not yet contacted him, Italy reached out last year. Biancheri has been letting his agent handle such.

Biancheri's mother helped him prepare for his first visit to Canada.

"She was just telling me about Canada, how nice the people are," he said. "She also sang me the national anthem and sent me the lyrics. She was excited for me."

Biancheri has been able to play tourist here, having already gone up the CN Tower.

In attending the Canada camp in Halifax and Toronto, Biancheri missed out on the Welsh under-21 side's 4-0 loss to Norway on Friday in its final friendly before