Teenage wonderkid JJ Gabriel has been promoted to first-team training at Manchester United, with Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim eager to take a look at the exciting 15-year-old. The hottest of prospects, who has been dubbed 'Kid Messi', is being tipped to enjoy a bright future. United do, however, have a fight on their hands when it comes to retaining his services.
Exit fear: Can Man Utd retain the services of Gabriel?
There remains the threat of Gabriel being prised out of United’s clutches at some point before a professional contract can be signed. The Red Devils are, however, doing everything they can to convince the highly-rated playmaker that he is in the best possible place for his future development.
A rival academy scout recently told the : "United is a big club, a huge club, and it fits JJ’s profile and JJ fits United’s profile, he’s something they haven’t got at all. But United have to be careful they don’t get things wrong with him. They know they are in a fight to keep him."
AdvertisementGettyRonaldo advice: CR7 used as an example for 'Kid Messi'
Gabriel was invited to attend United’s opening Premier League game of the 2025-26 campaign at Old Trafford, alongside his family. He was given tickets to the directors’ box, allowing him to cast an eye over the Red Devils’ senior stars as they lined up against Arsenal.
While forming part of the Red Devils’ youth system, Gabriel was recently introduced to head coach Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese was already aware of the talented teenager and how much hype he is generating.
Amorim is said to have spoken to Gabriel about his efforts to become a senior star, with Cristiano Ronaldo – a former team-mate of United’s current boss – being used as an example of how hard work is integral to any success. 'Kid Messi' is considered to already boast the mindset of a professional footballer, with no stone being left unturned in his bid to unlock full potential.
Big break: Amorim welcomes Gabriel into Man Utd first-team fold
That ongoing quest has been offered another boost, with Gabriel revealing on Instagram that he has been working with United’s first-team squad. According to BBC Sport, he took part in a full 11 versus 11 practice match at the Red Devils’ Carrington training base.
There is no word on how he fared in the company of Bruno Fernandes and Co, but the expectation is that he will have held his own. Gabriel has already been likened to Portuguese GOAT Ronaldo and Brazilian superstar Neymar.
A source has told the : "He’s going to end up like Ronaldo. Just goals, goals, goals.” Alfie Brooks, owner of Ole Futsal and Gabriel’s specialist one-to-one coach, added: “He was very raw but he was very competitive. When he first started training, those were the standout attributes.
"I’ve coached nearly 1,000 academy players over my time – four of them in Josh Nichols (Arsenal), Josh Acheampong (Chelsea), Sydie Peck (Sheffield United) and Tyrique George (Chelsea) have made their senior debuts – and JJ is the best I’ve ever seen. He could go into a Premier League changing room right now and technically he would be better than all of them. It wouldn’t even be close."
History maker: Man Utd & Premier League records that Gabriel can break
Speculation is already rife regarding a potential senior debut for Gabriel that could break all kinds of records. As things stand, Angel Gomes (16 years, 263 days), Shola Shoretire (17 years, 19 days) and Chido Obi (17 years, 79 days) are the youngest players to make a Premier League appearance for United.
Gabriel could rewrite the history books at Old Trafford, and in the English top-flight as a whole. He only turned 15 on October 6, meaning that time is on his side when it comes to bettering the efforts of Arsenal starlets Ethan Nwaneri (15 years, 181 days) and Max Dowman (15 years, 235 days) – who are the youngest players to grace a Premier League fixture.
United will not want to rush Gabriel, but competitive game time would help to convince him to stay put and offer supporters a glimpse of what the future will look like as the inconsistent Red Devils work through another rebuilding project.