Man Utd beat ‘leading clubs’ to January transfer

Robin Bairner

• 30 Jan 2023 10:03 GMT
• 5 min read

Manchester United are poised to complete their first definitive transfer of the January window.

Erik ten Hag’s side have captured Jack Butland on loan from Crystal Palace and struck a similar deal to sign Wout Weghorst, but they have not added anyone to their ranks on a permanent basis yet.

For the first team, it looks unlikely they will do so before the transfer deadline, but that is not going to stop the club completing a significant coup in the market by capturing the services of a promising youngster.

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According to The Athletic, Man Utd are closing in on a deal for 16-year-old Cardiff striker Gabriele Biancheri, a Wales U17 international.

Although Biancheri, who is also eligible to represent both England and Italy at international level, has yet to make his debut with the Bluebirds, he has been in impressive form for their U16 side, scoring 17 goals and creating 10 more last season. Indeed, he has already worked with the U21s.

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Man Utd beat Chelsea to Biancheri

The Athletic reports that a deal has already been agreed between the clubs and that Biancheri underwent his medical over the weekend.

He will join initially on a scholarship deal but will sign professional terms in September, when he turns 17.

Although this deal does not need to be completed before the end of the January transfer window, Man Utd have moved swiftly to close out the transfer because “a number of leading clubs” were also interested in the teenager.

Wales Online have cited Chelsea as one of the clubs who were interested in the attacker.

Brexit rules mean that Man Utd and their Premier League rivals can only sign Under-18 players from within the UK, which would have made the competition to secure Biancheri’s signature all the more fierce.