Manchester United manager Michael Carrick included JJ Gabriel in his 25-man squad for the pre-season friendly against Rosenborg, but the 15-year-old forward was not included in his squad.
JJ Gabriel did not feature as a substitute against Rosenborg (Image: Manchester United, Getty Images)
As he looks forward to making his Manchester United debut, J.J. Gabriel has a simple message: “Patience.” The 15-year-old appeared in line to bow to his senior during Friday’s pre-season friendly against Rosenborg.
However, Gabriel was an unused substitute against Norway and was one of two outfielders who did not feature in the 5-0 win. United’s 18-year-old midfielder Jim Thwaites joined him, while reserve goalkeeper Tom Heaton also watched throughout the game.
Three players have missed both games so far this summer. Chido Obi, Dermot Mee and Thwaites were odd players against Wrexham.
Gabriel only joined the team as a replacement for Ethan Wheatley, and Obi was the beneficiary of the change. Michael Carrick, a former England international, also started in Finland, giving Mee minutes in place of Heaton.
Gabriel and Thwaites are the only two players who have made the team but have not received much attention. However, the latter has experience of playing in United’s first team, coming on as a substitute in last year’s post-season friendly against Hong Kong.
But the wait continues until Gabriel takes his bow. The teenager admitted as much on social media after the match.
JJ Gabriel shared a photo of a Manchester United shirt with the word ‘Patience’ written on it
Gabriel posted a photo of United’s new away kit in the dressing room, with his last name written on the back of the shirt, and added the caption: “Patience”. An earlier post shared on his Instagram story showed Aiden Haven and Patrick Dawg flanking him during a walk around Trondheim.
Gabriel’s chance to feature again could come next weekend against Atletico Madrid. But it remains to be seen whether he will rejoin the team, especially if Wheatley returns.
His chances appear to be further limited by Benjamin Sesco’s eventual recovery from a shin injury. But Gabriel doesn’t seem to be in a hurry.
Follow Man United’s FB page! Keep up with the latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page
After missing out on the squad for the game against Wrexham, he posted on Instagram: “The longer you wait for something, the more you appreciate it when you get it. Because anything worth having is worth waiting for.”
United will play further friendlies in August against Leeds United, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain. But his next best chance to make his debut could come in the third round of the League Cup.
However, they will not have a chance to play in the EFL Trophy or National League Cup this season. United have decided not to enter either, as they have returned to the UEFA Youth League.
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily Manchester United content from Mirror Football. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can always check out. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+ and Ultimate TV packages
Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundles to include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, plus 135 channels and complete coverage of the Premier League and EFL from Sky.
Sky has over 1,400 live matches from the Premier League, EFL and more, and at least 215 live matches from the top flight across F1, darts and golf.
