Man Utd youngster JJ Gabriel has been tipped for a bright future and he has been involved in first-team training again.
JJ Gabriel pictured in first-team training.(Image: Manchester United)
Manchester United teenager JJ Gabriel took part in first-team training on Tuesday. Gabriel helped to supplement numbers in the session, with the players who started against Fulham having a recovery day.
The 15-year-old has now taken part in several first-team training sessions at Carrington. United believe Gabriel has first-team potential and have been keen to show him there is a pathway at the club.
Gabriel has 11 goals in 16 academy appearances this season, and there was speculation that he could make the bench in the FA Cup, but United were knocked out by Brighton at the first hurdle in the competition.
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The youngster was eligible to feature in the FA Cup, but he is not old enough to make a debut in the Premier League, which means he will continue to play in academy fixtures.
Darren Fletcher, Under-18 manager, has worked closely with Gabriel and he was asked about the teenager during his caretaker stint. “JJ is a fantastic talent. I’ve enjoyed working with him immensely, getting to know him,” he said.
“He’s a young lad with a massive sort of hype, you know there’s a lot of noise around him and deservedly so because he’s a real talented kid. He works hard. First thing I’d say is he loves football. He loves training, he loves playing, he loves having the ball, he loves expressing himself.
“He makes fantastic decisions. He’s just got an enthusiasm for the game that’s just amazing. 15-year-old, a bright future ahead of him. I’m super excited by his talent, but the most important thing is that he keeps developing, and he’s in the U18 team, and he’s doing fantastically well, but he’s still got lots to learn.
“The world is his oyster and he just needs to go on his journey and his time will come in due course. But for just now, it’s [first-team debut] a little bit early I think, and I think a lot of people would agree with me.”
Gabriel became the youngest player to represent United in the FA Youth Cup in December. He started against Peterborough and scored the match-winner in a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
He started aged 15 years, two months and three days, breaking the record previously held by United academy graduate Omari Forson (15 years and four months). The online records tracking United’s Youth Cup appearance makers began from the 2006/2007 season.