Manchester United have a new star in the making in 15-year-old JJ Gabriel.
The teenager is shattering records at a pace after making his first appearance at Old Trafford on Tuesday night in the third round of the FA Youth Cup.
As he has made a habit of doing, Gabriel stole the show, finding the back of the net after 23 minutes as United sealed a 1-0 win over Peterborough United.
Aged 15 and two months, Gabriel has not even started his GCSEs yet but is regarded as the next huge talent to emerge off the production line at Carrington.
Already there has been a fight to keep him at the club with Barcelona huge admirers. It was only after breakthrough talks involving United’s chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox that kept him in Manchester last year.
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Since then, the youngster has trained with the first-team, been invited into the director’s box on matchdays and met with Sir Alex Ferguson, a man who knows a thing or two about spotting and placing trust in emerging talent.
Current boss Ruben Amorim is also fully aware of the burgeoning talent at the club. ‘Like everyone, I know he is a really talented guy.’
Possessing outrageous skill and balance and outstanding ability with either foot, the hype is certainly justified with his style reminiscent of a young Neymar.
Gabriel has now scored 10 goals in 11 games this season having made the jump up to Darren Fletcher’s Under 18 side. That return includes a sublime hat-trick in a 7-0 thrashing of Liverpool at the end of November. Even among the catalogue of youth successes dotted through United’s rich history, Gabriel’s appearance last night makes him their youngest player to feature in the competition according to online records dating back to 2006.
Despite the immense potential, it is still early days with the path from academy sensation to senior player an uncertain one. But with United’s current squad short on stand-out academy talent with Kobbie Mainoo’s future uncertain, already there will be questions of when Gabriel could be unleashed on the first-team.
When can JJ Gabriel play for Manchester United first-team?
Max Dowman has made five appearances for the Arsenal first-team this season aged just 15. But Premier League rules prevent Gabriel from doing so this term.
Rules state a player can only feature in the Premier League if they are aged 15 by 31 August. Having only turned 15 in October, Gabriel must wait until the 2026-27 campaign to make his mark on the English top flight.
Dowman, who turned 15 last December, comfortably made that cut-off.
Should he continue to sparkle for the Under-18s, Gabriel will surely be in the frame to make his senior debut next season where he would have the chance to become United’s youngest player in history – a record currently held by Angel Gomes who made his first appearance aged 16 years and 263 days.
Just how good is JJ Gabriel?
Gabriel is considered to be the most exceptional young talent to progress through United’s youth ranks in recent years and across the game at youth level, is regarded as the best player in the country born in 2010.
In addition to those Neymar comparisons, his ability to effortlessly take the ball on the turn has seen him likened to Phil Foden, who progressed through the youth academy over the way at Manchester City.
Football is littered with stories of unique talents failing to make the step up to men’s football. Angel Gomes, who currently holds the record of United’s youngest player in history, has carved out a fine career for himself in France having also been recognised at international level, but made just 10 more appearances for United after his debut. United’s next youngest debutant Shola Shoretire is currently playing for Dutch club Zwolle, on loan from Greek outfit PAOK.
The situation with Gabriel feels different though and United’s biggest problem will appear to be keeping holding of him. Barcelona’s interest is well-documented and the teenager holds an Irish passport through his dad, former Republic of Ireland intranational Joe O’Cearuill, meaning any move abroad would be free of any Brexit red tape.
United will be counting the days until he is eligible to sign his first professional contract at 17.
Tony Mogan, live sports editor
Can JJ Gabriel play in the FA Cup this season?
FA Cup rules would appear to be slightly different. Chris Rigg was 15 years, six months and two days when he came off the bench to help Sunderland beat Shrewsbury tOWN in the third round of the competition in January 2023.
In October last year, Marshall Heys made his Salford City debut at 15 years, two months and six days in a first round match, also against Shrewsbury Town, to become the youngest player to appear for a professional side in the competition.
Amid the furore around Dowman last year, The Athletic reported an academy player under the age of 16 can play in the FA Cup, providing they are registered correctly and a letter of consent has been provided to the FA from the player’s parent or guardian and school.
United face Brighton in the FA Cup third round in January.