Canadian international Buchanan starts on the bench in first outing for Inter Milan

MONZA, Italy — Canadian international Tajon Buchanan watched from the bench Saturday as Inter Milan, his new team, thumped Monza 5-1.

Buchanan wore his favoured No. 17 in his first game with the storied Italian side. The 24-year-old wingback/winger from Brampton, Ont., joined league-leading Inter earlier this month in a transfer from Belgium's Club Brugge.

Inter (16-1-3) tops the Serie A table. Monza slipped to 6-8-7.

The list of Canadians who have spent time in the top Italian division is short.

Ricardo Ferreira (AC Milan), Sebastian Breza, (Palermo FC and Bologna FC), Axel Desjardins (CC Spezia), Damiano Pecile (Venezia FC) and Roberto Stillo (Genoa) did not feature for their Italian clubs. Sandro Grande saw brief action with Brescia in the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

On the women's side in the modern era, Canadians Charmaine Hooper (Lazio CF), Selenia Iacchelli (ASD Torres), Carmelina Moscato (UPC Tavagnacco), Alyssa Lagonia (Bardolino Verona), Maegan Rosa (Atalanta/Florentia San Gimignano), Julia Grosso (Juventus) and Evelyne Viens (AS Roma) have played club football in Italy.

Buchanan has 35 caps for Canada, including 27 starts, with four goals and six assists. Three of those starts came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Buchanan was taken in the first round (ninth overall) by the New England Revolution in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.

He was runner-up to FC Dallas forward Ricardo Pepi as the 2021 MLS Young Player of the Year after finishing with career highs in games played (27), starts (19), goals (8), and assists (5) in his third MLS season.

He made 50 regular-season appearances for New England with 10 goals and nine assists. Named best young player at the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, Buchanan joined Club Brugge after the 2021 season.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2024