Manchester United might already know their next breakthrough star

A key reason why Manchester United hired Erik ten Hag as manager was because of his proven track record of nurturing youth talent.

Ten Hag has taken on more responsibility in the academy since his arrival, having felt the U21s were 'isolated' before his appointment. He still takes an active role in deciding which youngsters train with the first team and he ensures there is more cooperation between the different departments.

It means Ten Hag is aware more than most of how good United's youngsters actually are, and he is in a good position to make his own judgments on who really has what it takes to make it under him.

Kobbie Mainoo and Charlie McNeill were both given their first-team debuts in his own debut season at the club, while Alejandro Garnacho also made the permanent transition to the first-team squad. Last season, Dan Gore, Willy Kambwala, Omari Forson and Ethan Wheatley made their first appearances for the senior side. Toby Collyer also did last weekend against Liverpool, though he doesn't count as an academy graduate having been signed from Brighton.

Gabriele Biancheri could be the next breakthrough star. In the absence of the injured Rasmus Hojlund, United have struggled for goals so far this season and have missed the most big chances in the Premier League across the three opening match days. Finding the back of the net hasn't been an issue for the teenager.

United paid a six-figure compensation fee to Cardiff City for his signature in February 2023 and he signed his first professional contract a year ago this month.

Still only 17, he turns 18 in two weeks time, Biancheri scored 17 goals for the treble-winning U18s side last season and also netted twice for the U21s. He started this season in a similar vein, with a goal against Man City in the first U18 league match, a brace against Leicester in the U18 cup and a goal against Liverpool for the U18s as well. He also scored with his first touch of the match in the U21 clash with Blackburn Rovers last week.

While fellow teenager Ethan Wheatley is still ahead in the pecking order and Chido Obi-Martin will soon join the club, there are high hopes for Biancheri and the future role he could occupy given his obvious eye for goal.

Biancheri still has a lot to learn before he is ready to be unleashed at first-team level, but there is a growing belief that is players can shine at U18 level then they can in effect bypass the awkward crossroads of U21 football after only a short time. Kobbie Mainno only played 21 times for the U21s before his senior promotion, while Alejandro Garnacho did so just 16 times. The teenage striker already has three goals in five appearances for the U21s as well as one goal in two appearances for Wales at U19 level.

With the Carabao Cup and Europa League campaigns soon to get under way, it might not be so ridiculous to suggest Biancheri could be one of the next youngsters to be given a first-team opportunity, particularly if those final Europa League group stage matches prove to become dead-rubbers with qualification already secured.

At a time when United are lacking firepower upfront, they have a promising youngster who can't seem to stop scoring.