The Halifax Wanderers have acquired Canadian U-21 midfielder Alessandro Biello on a season-long loan from MLS side CF Montreal.
Biello, 18, joins the Wanderers after an incredibly successful season at the club and international level. The teenage central midfielder made both his first-team and MLS debut for Montreal in 2024 while playing a key role for Canada’s U-20 men’s national team.
“Alessandro is one of the top up-and-coming Canadian talents who has shown progression at club and national team levels,” sporting director Matt Fegan said. “We are delighted to be a part of his journey and contribute to the next steps of his career. We will also look forward to the collaboration with CF Montreal on Alessandro’s ongoing development.”
From Montreal, Biello began his career with CF Montreal’s academy, earning a first-team contract ahead of the 2024 season. On May 7, a month after his 18th birthday, Biello made his first-team debut in the Canadian Championship against Forge FC. He made his MLS debut on May 15 against the Columbus Crew.
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“Alessandro has a promising future in the game and as he continues to grow, he’s going to be a player that will help us take a step towards where we want to go this season,” Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar said. “He’s great at moving the ball forward and managing the tempo in midfield. We’re going to challenge him to be a chance creator and get forward to find opportunities for our attack.”
After the 2024 season, Biello was invited to a Canadian men’s national team training camp, the same camp where Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar was a member of the Canadian coaching staff. Biello has represented Canada at the U-20 and U-17 levels, playing in the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
As part of the agreement, Biello cannot be recalled by CF Montreal during the Wanderers’ 2025 season. Biello’s on-field minutes contribute toward the club’s requirement of 2000 domestic U-21 minutes during the regular season. However, as a loaned player, Biello’s minutes count for a maximum of 1,000 minutes towards that requirement.