The rise of Canadian international Tajon Buchanan, making a mark on European football

From Syracuse University to the Champions League

Modern football is full of depressing stories about aspiring young players. One story that is often trotted out by the British football media is the number of kids who are released by professional clubs and academies each year. Indeed, this is the time of the year for those kids to be released and a wave of new players to be signed by football academies.

Fortunately, football academies are not the only way into the world of professional or semi-professional football. Unfortunately, many kids do not understand there are other options and their parents are just as unaware of the options released teenagers have available. Some players will fade away from the game, while others will grow depressed over being released by an academy.

Canadian international Tajon Buchanan found a pathway to professional football when there were no clear routes. Now, Buchanan could be on his way to Italy to wear the famous blue and black stripes of Internazionale.

The player’s determination helped him rise through the ranks of football despite never playing for a professional club’s youth academy. He found a way into professional football and is a role model for young players seeking a break.

The wing-back is rumoured as Denzel Dumfries’ possible replacement, as the Champions League runners-up may be forced to sell one of their prized assets due to their mounting debt.

Internazionale’s financial issues shouldn’t take away from their bid to sign Buchanan. Nor should it take away from the Canadian’s fantastic rapid rise through the football ranks. Not long ago the 24-year-old played for Syracuse University. It is difficult to get further away from the dizzying heights of European football than playing for a university team in NCAA soccer.

In 2021, Buchanan, in an interview with The Athletic, Buchanan stated he was “never really on the radar” of academies in the United States or Canada. Sure, he had had a few trials with Toronto FC, but the club wasn’t interested in signing the young Canadian. Unlike his compatriot Alphonso Davies, there wasn’t a buzz around Buchanan.

A move to Colorado as a teenager took Buchanan further off the radar of clubs. There were no youth national team call-ups or clubs desperate to sign him to develop within their programs.

Syracuse University took notice of Buchanan’s talents, as he thrived at Legacy High School and for the Real Colorado soccer academy. To obtain the scholarship offered by Syracuse, Buchanan had to complete online and in-person classes to qualify academically in his final six months of high school. The teenager obtained the grades needed and qualified for the scholarship, arriving at Syracuse ready to play for the Orange.

Buchanan played two seasons at Syracuse before entering the Major League Soccer SuperDraft. New England Revolution selected him ninth overall in 2019.

Playing mostly as a right-sided midfielder or right-wing, Buchanan played just 10 times for the Revs, tallying two assists in his MLS rookie season. The campaign was start-stop, as a stress fracture limited Buchanan’s time on the pitch. He didn’t appear in New England’s final 18 games, although Buchanan was an unused sub for 10 of those fixtures.

The forward’s time on the pitch increased, as he appeared in 28 games in all competitions during the pandemic-hit 2020 campaign. He scored three goals and added three assists. But it was the following season in which Buchanan emerged in MLS and led Belgium’s Club Brugge to sign him for €6.36 million.

Buchanan scored nine goals and added six assists in all competitions. He was used as a right-wing, a right-wing-back, and on the left flank, showing plenty of versatility. The Canadian quickly became comfortable on both flanks. The improvements from the 2020 to 2021 season saw Buchanan called up to the Canadian national team for the first time in June. Canada smashed Aruba 7-0, with Buchanan playing a full 90 minutes at right-back to earn his first cap.

The Canadian signed for Club Brugge in the middle of the 2021 MLS season and was immediately loaned back to New England to finish the campaign, helping the Revs win the MLS Supporters’ Shield. His rise from Syracuse University to New England Revolution to the Canadian national team was rapid. But the rapid development didn’t stop there.

Buchanan joined Brugge in January and made his debut against Sint-Truiden. He went on to make nine Juplier Pro League regular season appearances, contributing two assists. In the Pro League playoffs, he appeared in five of Club Brugge’s six games, scoring a goal, and helping the Black and Blue win the title.

The 2022-23 season was Buchanan’s first full campaign in Belgium but injuries cost him playing time. Buchanan started the Pro League by missing the opening nine matches with a muscle injury. He also missed the first two games of Brugge’s Champions League run. Upon his return, he helped the Black and Blue qualify for the Champions League round of 16 for the first time with a magical group stage.

Buchanan started six of the team’s eight Champions League matches, playing a full 90 minutes on four occasions and adding two assists. Brugge went through three managers during the season, as expectations around the club hit new heights thanks to domestic and European success. The chaos of hiring and firing three different managers meant Club Brugge were out of the Pro League title picture despite qualifying for the four-team round-robin playoffs.

The club finished 11 points off title-winner, Royal Antwerp, in the postseason. The Blue and Black will now fight for a place in the Europa Conference League group stage but will enter the competition in the second qualifying round.

Buchanan missed six of Brugge’s final eight games in the regular season and playoffs due to a shinbone injury. He returned just in time to feature against Genk and Union Saint Gilloise. Against Union, he played left-back for a full 90 minutes, as Brugge helped spoil the Canaries’ chances of winning the league on the final day.

Now, the Canadian player could be on the verge of joining Champions League runners-up Internazionale. Of course, Buchanan could end up somewhere else, although reports from Italy indicate a deal between the player and Internazionale has been agreed. The clubs would need to agree on a fee, which shouldn’t be an issue and could already be done but not announced.

Buchanan is the latest Canadian to make a quick ascent in European football. Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David were the first two players to make a rapid rise. Now, Buchanan is a player destined to move on to a bigger club. Canadian soccer is thriving and benefitting from a group of players succeeding in Europe.