Manchester United are famous for their academy, but Ruben Amorim believes he has found his next great player after keeping J.J. Gabriel out of first-team training.
Manchester United wonderland player JJ Gabriel has caught the eye of Ruben Amorim and has taken part in first-team training for the first time. Gabriel, just 15, confirmed on social media that he had trained with United’s senior professional for the first time ahead of Saturday’s game against Brighton.
The winger, whose style of play has been compared to his idol Neymar, signed a two-year contract at Old Trafford in June. Technical director Jason Wilcox played a role in the discussions that led to Gabriel committing to his future, which is unusual for a player of his age.
Gabriel, a star for England at Under-15 level, caught Amorim’s attention when the United manager showed him clips of his progress in pre-season. Amorim was so impressed that she met him in person.
Gabriel watched the Red Devils’ opening game of the season, a 1-0 loss to Arsenal, from the directors’ box at Old Trafford. The 15-year-old had been informed that he would be taking part in first-team training sessions from time to time, and now the first team training sessions have arrived.
On Thursday, Gabriel confirmed on his Instagram Stories that he had trained with the senior team, posting a photo from the changing room with the caption: “First team training” and a tick emoji.
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Gabriel, whose full name is Joseph Junior Andreu Gabriel, shared the snap with his more than 200,000 followers. BBC Sport reported that he took part in the 11-on-11 practice match.
Gabriel has been a regular in United’s Under-18 side this season, managed by former Red Devils midfielder Darren Fletcher. This was despite the fact that he was only 14 years old at the start of the campaign.
After scoring a hat-trick against Derby County in August, Gabriel went on to score seven goals in six games, further increasing his expectations at Old Trafford. He has already signed a sponsorship deal with Nike after intense competition from rival Adidas.
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Manchester Evening News reports that Gabriel has been offered his own box at United’s new £2bn stadium, which the club plans to complete by 2030. United are keen to temper expectations publicly.
Gabriel will celebrate his 15th birthday on October 6th and will become the youngest player in the division if he makes his Premier League debut by April 5th. Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri (15 years and 181 days) is the current record holder.
An opportunity could come during the 2025-26 African Cup of Nations as attacking duo Brian Mbeumo and Amad are set to represent their country. The tournament begins on December 21st.
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