Manchester United’s academy looks set to produce a new star player, with J.J. Gabriel impressing the Old Trafford managers despite being only 15 years old and is expected to have a bright future.
The talented teen has been making waves at Carrington’s training ground, but he is already training with Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim’s first team. JJ Gabriel is only 14 years old, but he’s already turning heads with his abilities.
The youngster has been dubbed ‘Kid Messi’ and has been compared to Neymar, with interest in the attacker at its peak. Gabriel has been a regular for Darren Fletcher’s Under-18s this season.
After scoring a hat-trick against Derby County in August, Gabriel has now scored seven goals in six games for the seniors. Some are starting to wonder when he will make his Premier League debut.
However, although Arsenal ace Max Domann, 15, has featured for the Gunners, there will be a long wait as Gabriel is not allowed to feature until next season. Under Premier League rules, players must be 15 years old by August 31 to play in the campaign, and Gabriel only turned 15 earlier this month.
The same suspension will also keep Gabriel away from the FA Youth Cup. Players must be born before the closing date of August 31, 2010.
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However, Gabriel will continue to grow surrounded by United’s senior stars. The young goalscorer has been training with Amorim’s team throughout the season and is also taking part in the club’s preparations for the match against Brighton.
Gabriel signed a two-year deal at Old Trafford in June, but United’s technical director Jason Wilcox is believed to have played an active role in convincing the teenager to stay. Amorim is also impressed and is closely monitoring his progress.
Gabriel watched the opening game of the season, a 1-0 loss to Arsenal, from the director’s box at Old Trafford, as United look to use their incredible talent as an attraction. Gabriel is said to have been offered his own box in United’s £2bn stadium, which the club aims to complete by 2030.
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United will want to avoid the possibility of Gabriel turning heads as overseas clubs could soon be eyeing his services. The 15-year-old is the son of former Republic of Ireland international Joe O’Keirle and holds an Irish passport.
As a result, the player will be allowed to join European clubs from the age of 16 instead of 18, with the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich being tempted, according to Goal.
Despite his young age, Gabriel has already signed a sponsorship deal with Nike, after fierce competition from rival Adidas.
Gabriel is Wayne Rooney’s son and a teammate of Kai, also 15. The pair were stars of United’s under-19 team, which played in the Mladen Ramljak tournament in Croatia in August.
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