Man Utd draft 18-year-old wonderkid into first-team training as Joshua Zirkzee ruled out for rest of season
MANCHESTER UNITED teenager Gabriele Biancheri joined Ruben Amorim’s first team training earlier today.
The Red Devils boss, 40, was preparing his side for Thursday night’s crucial Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon.
Man Utd will go into the match without Joshua Zirkzee, after the forward was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a hamstring issue.
Rasmus Hojlund is the only senior centre-forward available to Amorim for tomorrow night’s crunch clash with Lyon.
In Zirkzee’s absence, Biancheri joined in with first team training at Carrington.
The 18-year-old signed for Man Utd from Cardiff in February 2023.
Biancheri has been free scoring for the Red Devils’ academy sides this season, netting 20 goals in 30 appearances across the PL2, Under-18 Premier League, Uefa Youth League, FA Youth Cup and EFL Trophy.
The Welshman is not part of Man Utd’s 25-man squad for the Europa League.
But he is eligible to be added to the club’s B List and thus be available to play tomorrow night.
To be added to the B List, a player must have been born on or later than January 1, 2003 – and have been at the club for two or more uninterrupted years.
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While Biancheri is eligible, fellow striker Chido Obi is not.
The forward, who has made four first team appearances for United, only joined from Arsenal last September, meaning that he does not hit the B List criteria.
Biancheri has never been named in a first team matchday squad.
In order to be available for tomorrow night’s game, Biancheri must be named on Man Utd’s B List by midnight.
Speaking ahead of the Lyon second leg, Amorim gave an update on Zirkzee’s injury.
The Portuguese said: “Joshua is out for the season. So he’s not going to play more this season. Let’s prepare him for the next one.
“It’s tough, especially in this moment. I think he’s improving in all aspects of the game, so it’s hard for any player to stop, but this is football and he has to be ready now to recover.”
Amorim also confirmed that Andre Onana would return between the sticks, having been given the weekend off following his blunders in last week’s 2-2 draw in France.
United’s No2 Altay Bayindir stepped in for Onana during Sunday’s 4-1 defeat at Newcastle.
But asked about Onana, Amorim said: “He will play tomorrow.”
Man Utd ratings vs Newcastle as Zirkzee does well before injury but dropped Onana's stand-in has a shocker
MANCHESTER UNITED’S worst ever Premier League season was confirmed with a 4-1 defeat to Newcastle.
The Red Devils are now guaranteed to finish on less than 56 points, which is their lowest ever Prem total.
And they can only get that high if they win ALL of their last six games.
If they’re not careful, they could even finish 17th – just one spot above the marooned bottom three.
It was another dark day that reflects a poor campaign for United as Newcastle carved them open with ease in the second-half.
Ruben Amorim dropped keeper Andre Onana after his horror show against Lyon midweek.
But stand-in Altay Bayindir had a game to forget too.
Sandro Tonali’s volley, a double by Harvey Barnes and a Bruno Guimaraes finish cancelled out Alejandro Garnacho’s goal.
Here is how SunSport’s Gary Stonehouse rated the United performances…